When identifying reserves of efficiency of management of production activities of enterprises should comply with a number of important principles. First of all, the identification of reserves should be based on knowledge of economic laws, the provisions of the dialectical theory of knowledge, the achievements of science and practice, that is, to be scientific in nature. It is necessary to know the economic nature and nature of economic reserves, the main directions of the search, as well as the technique and methodology of calculation and generalization. The search for reserves should be complex and systematic: complexity implies a comprehensive identification of reserves in all areas of economic activity and their subsequent generalization.

Keywords: management, production activities, reserves, efficiency, analysis, diagnostics