Towards Competitive Dynamics View on Oil Companies in Southeast Europe: Analysis of Industrial Concentration

Abstract

Business policy and operations of leading oil industry companies are of strategic interest for each country with defined energy strategy functioning as the basis for developing competitiveness. Companies in the oil industry operate in a specific commercial and political environment, strongly affected by business risks which above all require adapting to market trends and selection of the optimal strategic direction to support the sustainability of increasing competitiveness of each company. It is precisely the level of competitive dynamics which forces companies to constantly develop its business strategies and to adapt to market conditions being the only approach ensuring the survival and growth on the market. Global trends in the oil industry and key factors affecting the future development were analysed in this paper, while the main objectives were feature analysis and presentation of the companies operating in Southeast Europe (with focus on Croatian and its regional market). Several major competitors, companies such as INA, MOL, OMV, Petrol, Lukoil as well as the small competitors as a unique market unit were processed through the SWOT analysis. Market situation was additionally illustrated through the example of analysis of the concentration on the Croatian market, revealing the escalation of competition and increasing of the competitive dynamics among the companies.