Increasing the competitiveness of Lithuanian meat processing companies by applying the ecological marketing concept

Pastaruoju metu pastebimas didėjantis organizacijų aktyvumas jų santykių su aplinka gerinimo veiklos srityje. Galima daryti prielaidą, jog ši tendencija bus stabili, kadangi ją sąlygoja veiksniai, susiję su organizacijų konkurencingumu. Darniosios plėtros nuostatų realizacija, būtent „teršėjas moka" nuostata, netrukus taps esmine verslo plėtojimo determinante, siejančia organizacijos konkurencingumą sujos realizuojamų procesų pasekmėmis. Ši nuostata neapsiriboja tik aplinkos naudojimo ir baudų mokėjimo už normų nesilaikymą sąnaudomis, - kaskart dažniau organizacijos dėl taršos praranda realizacijos rinkas. Didėjantis ekologinis pirkėjų sąmoningumas tampa įtakos šaltiniu organizacijoms, ieškančioms naujų rinkos pozicijų sustiprinimo būdų. Straipsnyje autorės analizuoja ekologinės rinkodaros koncepcijos realizacijos svarbą didinant mėsos perdirbimo įmonių konkurencingumą.The results of the conducted research indicate that the formation of competitiveness is relevant for Lithuanian meat processing companies. Lithuania meat processing companies as well as companies from other sectors function in a rapidly changing environment, where acquirement of new competitive advantages becomes a crucial factor in the rivalry and guarantees the survival in the market place. The Ecological Marketing concept determines the fields, where companies can search for sources that form competitive advantages. It outlines the ways and methods how an organization should perform, taking the environmental protection and social-ethical context, relations with the society and other parties concerned into account The objective of the research is formation of the means that increase rationality of decisions while applying ecological marketing concept for increasing the competitiveness of Lithuanian meat producing companies. The summarized results of the research indicate the positive attitude of respondents (83.3%) towards environment protection. It allows to make the assumption, that ecology is an important factor in the activity of Lithuanian meat processing companies. 61.12% of respondents apply the attitude of ecological marketing concept in their activities. The distribution of the research results according to the fields where ecological marketing concept is being used, is the following: the bigger part (55.02%) of companies applies the ecological aspects in the process of distribution of their product to customers and 36.05% of respondents apply them to creating of new products and manufacturing. Comparably small percentage of companies (9.0%) uses the ecological aspect in advertising. The competitive advantages of companies are determined by exclusiveness of their products (38.53%) and satisfaction of customers’ needs (33.0%). The smallest number of respondents indicate reduction of expenses (6.27%). In the other fields (22.2%) the formation of positive image and reputation are mentioned; several respondents answer that ecological marketing does not have any effect on their competitive advantage at all. On the ground of the results of the conducted research the importance of ecological factor in the formation of competitive advantage could be emphasized. The right application of factor advantage in the management process enables the formation of basic competences and development of strategic competitive advantages via them. The Lithuanian meat processing companies are only discovering this concept and it has not become essential in the rivalry yet