The restructuring of consumer goods trade in Ukraine

Abstract

Background. The competitiveness of any country depends largely on the quality of the structure of the economic system, especially its most important components – production and trade, on the efficiency of their interaction. Investigation of the role and place of each of these sub-systems showed that in their development in the period of transformation of economy of Ukraine imbalance was formed. One of the reasons for this is the deformarion in the structural organization of trade, formed largely "spontaneously" without proper state regulation throughout the period of economic transition in Ukraine.
The aim of the study is to determine the structural organization of the retail and wholesale trade of consumer goods, assessment of changes that occurred during the period of transformation of Ukrainian economy, and identifying issues and trends concerning the restructuring of this important area of work.
Material and methods. General scientific methods and special knowledge of economic processes were used, namely: analysis and synthesis, systematic approach, comparison and generalization. Information data base was applicable laws and regulations of Ukraine, the scientific works of domestic and foreign scholars, the official data of the State Statistics Service of Ukraine.
Results. Structural organization of trade is an important factor for its efficient functioning, because the functions and the ability to realize its mission of trade in commodity circulation, promote appropriate socio-economic development largely depends on it.
Manufacturing sector with a significant reduction in the number of employees, and because of other conditions prevailing in Ukraine, had (and has) no possibility to update its basic tools and widely implement innovative technologies to increase productivity and thus increase the volume of production of goods. Shortage of goods, especially non- food, which occurred during the command economy, more and more began to be supplied with imported goods. Lack of effective industrial and adequate trade policy and strategic long-term development programs in production and trade, including their structural adjustment makes stable and dynamic socio-economic development of Ukraine impossible.
The article analyzes the structural change in the retail and wholesale trade by type of entities (enterprises – legal entities and natural persons – entrepreneurs), their size (large, medium and small business), the composition of trade enterprises and the results of their activity. The study showed that there is a process of rapidly increasing small businesses, especially physical persons-entrepreneurs, many of which can not effectively perform their function, create a modern shopping service area, be a real partner for manufacturers and jointly develop the Ukrainian economy and improve the quality of life of the people.
Conclusion. The study demonstrated the need for structural reorientation of Ukraine’s trade to achieve an optimal balance between market by organizational and legal forms, types of retail facilities storage facilities, intermediaries on wholesale level and types in size and specialization. Strategic direction of the restructuring is to continue trading processes of creating different types of unions – corporate and franchise-trading networks are, commercial and industrial corporations , wholesale and retail trade networks.
Addressing these problems requires an effective system of state regulation of structural and territorial organization of trade, developing differentiated according to the stated priorities in tax, investment, financial, credit and depreciation policies.