Innowacje otwarte w MSP
Open innovations in SMES

Summary/Abstract: The issue of developing and implementing of innovative solutions is in literature indicated as going beyond the normative trend in the subject of functioning and development of enterprises, along with the emergence of considerations on the need for the intensity of innovative organization. In this context, the so-called “open innovation” is gaining importance due to the need for more intensive use of external sources of innovative solutions in business entities. The innovation intensity, though referring to different sizes of enterprises i.e. large, medium, small and even micro enterprises, in the context of the SME sector entities is a particularly important problem, taking into account the higher level of demand for external knowledge resources in these units. The paper considers the open innovation in relation to small and medium-sized enterprises. The importance of SME cooperation with stakeholders is emphasized. It refers to stakeholders from both close and distant surroundings, who are the endogenous and exogenous sources of knowledge for the development of innovative solutions. Still higher openness of innovation processes is the reason why the economy starts to be defined as the network economy instead of the knowledge economy. The aim of the article is to present the considerations regarding open innovations and to refer them to the innovation of small and medium-sized enterprises. The material for the article was critical analysis of domestic and foreign literature, including the results of empirical research. The analysis of empirical data concerning enterprises from the SME sector in Poland proves that the innovativeness of small and medium enterprises in Poland differs significantly from the average in the European Union countries. This, in turn, indicates the urgent need for innovation-oriented improvement in these entities, in particular open innovations in SMEs, taking into account the innovative potential of these enterprises.

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