CROSS-BORDER CO-OPERATION BY POLISH AND BELARUSIAN COMPANIES IN THE ASPECT OF INCREASING THE COMPETITIVENESS

Increasing globalization of economic processes forces companies to strengthen intensively their competitiveness. The company's ability to build partnerships with business partners is the mechanism to achieve competitive advantage. One of the sources of competitive advantages is the internationalization of company operations. The use of geographical location in cooperation may be an additional source of increasing the attractiveness and competitiveness for border regions and enterprises. North-east part of Poland (and of EU) is a region where the factor limiting the possibilities for firms development is the distance from the markets. More intensive development of polish companies is possible through creation cross-border cooperation especially with companies from Belarus. The aim of the article is to present the results of studies which take into account factors affecting the level of cross-border cooperation of enterprises in north-eastern Poland and in neighbouring region of Belarus in the context of increasing their competitiveness. The article uses the method of critical analysis of the literature and statistical analysis of data from a study conducted on a group of companies in leading industries in Poland and in Belarus. The main statistical measures and correlation coefficients were used to interpret the results. The study found a low level of existing cooperation and the low possibility of its strengthening in the near future. Some recommendations and model solutions for potential areas of cooperation have been identified. They can improve the competitive position of the companies in Podlaskie region in Poland.