Konceptualizacja kategorii konkurencyjności w naukach ekonomicznych

Competition is a way of coordinating the market, whereas competitiveness is an asset in the rivalry between companies. All market players benefit from competition. On the demand side of the market, consumers receive a product that can better satisfy their needs. On the supply side, competitive conditions of economic environment force enterprises to enhance their economic activity (stimulation effect) as well as to develop cooperation based on specialisation (specialisation effect). Tangible benefits of competition are also expected as a result of intensification of the effect of production scale (optimalisation effect). Competitiveness is a notion that estimates the behaviour of the participants of market competition, mostly from the point of view of the results of their activities and their capability to generate a financial surplus (or other benefits). With regard to the competitiveness of the Polish economy, we can observe a steady improvement in its competitive position. However, the pace of change is far from satisfactory. There are still numerous segments whose prospects are not optimistic. These include, for example, infrastructure, macroeconomic environment, innovativeness or the efficiency of economic environment institutions. In order to assess the chances of boosting the competitiveness of the Polish economy one must determine the relevant factors of economic growth. It seems that more weight should be given to direct factors affecting the dynamics of growth processes. It is the efficiency of human capital that determines what, how and where will be manufactured and in what proportions economic effects will be distributed. We should search for factors which determine the growth dynamics of the competitiveness of economic aggregates (enterprises, economic branches) in the long term.