ABSTRACT
One of the best ways for the enterprise to stay on the market and achieve success consists of innovations. The literature review in the area of innovation indicates that considering the dynamically changing environment, undertaking innovative activity by small- and medium-sized enterprises is crucial for their success.
The chapter presents the role of innovation in the action strategy of small- and medium-sized enterprises, as well as the results of the research concerning innovative changes in the context of implemented action strategy of SMEs.
The empirical research was quantitative. The research results presented in this study were obtained after the implementation of the research project carried out in the period from June to August 2019. The project investigated innovation strategy and innovation behaviour of small- and medium-sized enterprises. The sample consists of data for 417 firms. The research was conducted in the Silesia region in Poland. The research was conducted with the diagnostic survey method, in which the survey questionnaire in majority made of closed questions was used.
During the research, positive verification of all research assumptions was made. Small- and medium-sized enterprises are interested in the implementation of innovations, however, numerous barriers influence the fact that relatively few companies introduced changes of innovative character. Introduced innovations primarily concerned the product. However, in small- and medium-sized enterprises these innovations rarely have a pioneering character, and more often they are imitative. The research enterprises were focused on adapting the already existing solutions rather than creating completely new ones. Barriers related to the implementation of innovations in SMEs predominantly constitute low financial resources allocated to conducting research in this scope and the unwillingness to cooperate in the scope of developing and launching a completely new product, which translates into low interest in the implementation of open innovations. The innovation strategy gains more significance together with the increase of scale of action, whereas, defensive strategies are rather prevailing in SMEs, among which the survival strategy and the assurance strategy are leading.
