SMEs innovativeness and institutional support system: the local experiences in qualitative perspective. Polish case study

Authors

  • Anna Lewandowska University of Information Technology and Management in Rzeszow
  • Mateusz Stopa Independent researcher

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.24136/oc.2018.017

Keywords:

innovation, innovation strategies, SMEs, institutional support system

Abstract

Research background: Many contemporary empirical studies and most economic growth theories recognize the importance of innovation as one of the most progressive determinants of socio-economic growth, both in the regional and local perspective. However, much of the empirical literature has discussed the issue of innovativeness and institutional environment without the significant results for small enterprises, especially in peripheral regions.

Purpose of the article: The aim of this paper is to evaluate the institutional support system and its impact on SME innovativeness in Podkarpackie region. In analyzing this case, we raise the following two questions: (1) what are the types of innovation strategies of SMEs in Podkarpackie? (2) what are the factors affecting innovation and potential barriers to further use of institutional support systems aimed at the implementation of innovation in enterprises?

Methods: Based on the empirical research, we have analyzed the data (individual in-depth interviews) and found out how the entrepreneurs, R&D, business environment institutions, regional and local authorities assess the use of programs and projects dedicated to innovation in the scope of the institutional support system and what are the barriers encountered by entrepreneurs that limit the implementation of innovation.

Findings & Value added: The results of our research show that institutional sup-port systems mitigate negative consequences of peripheral localization of the enterprises, where specific innovation strategy has no influence on SME assessment of innovation effectiveness. Innovation is too costly, and SMEs are too weak in peripheral regions, therefore there is great need for reasonable and flexible institutional support systems. However, the peripheral situation influences this institutional system itself, strengthening the mechanisms of self-censorship.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Anderson, M., & Johansson, B. (2008). Innovation ideas and regional characteristics: product innovations and export entrepreneurship by firms in Swedish regions. Growth and Change, 39(2). doi: 10.1111/j.1468-2257.2008.00417.x. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2257.2008.00417.x
View in Google Scholar

Bhaskaran, S. (2006). Incremental innovation and business performance: small and medium-size food enterprises in a concentrated industry environment. Journal of Small Business Management, 44(1). doi: 10.1111/j.1540-627X.2006. 00154.x. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-627X.2006.00154.x
View in Google Scholar

Bottazzim, L., & Peri, G. (2003). Innovation and spillovers in regions: evidence from European patent data. European Economic Review, 47(4). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0014-2921(02)00307-0
View in Google Scholar

Denzin, N. K., & Lincoln, Y. S. (eds.) (2005). The SAGE handbook of qualitative research. London: Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks and New Delhi.
View in Google Scholar

DiPietro, W. R., & Anoruo, E. (2006). Creativity, innovation, and export performance. Journal of Policy Modeling, 28(2). doi: 10.1016/j.jpolmod.2005.10.001. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpolmod.2005.10.001
View in Google Scholar

Doloreux, D., & Dionne, S. (2008). Is regional innovation system development possible in peripheral regions? Some evidence from the case of La Pocatière, Canada. Entrepreneurship & Regional Development, 20(3). doi: 10.1080/08985620701795525. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/08985620701795525
View in Google Scholar

Flick, U. (2010). Projektowanie badania jakościowego. Warszawa: Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN.
View in Google Scholar

Furková, A., & Chocholatá, M. (2017). Interregional R and D spillovers and regional convergence: a spatial econometric evidence from the EU regions. Equilibrium. Quarterly Journal of Economics and Economic Policy, 12(1). doi: 10.24136/eq.v12i1.1. DOI: https://doi.org/10.24136/eq.v12i1.1
View in Google Scholar

Grillitsch, M., & Nilsson, M. (2015). Innovation in peripheral regions: do collaborations compensate for a lack of local knowledge spillovers? Annals of Regional Science, 54(1). doi: 10.1007/s00168-014-0655-8. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00168-014-0655-8
View in Google Scholar

Katimertzopoulos, F., & Vlados, Ch. (2017). Local support mechanisms for entrepreneurship: the approach of local development and innovation institutions. International Journal of Business & Economic Sciences Applied Research, 10(1). doi: 10.25103/ijbesar.101.04. DOI: https://doi.org/10.25103/ijbesar.101.04
View in Google Scholar

Kondratiuk-Nierodzińska, M. (2016). New knowledge generation capabilities and economic performance of Polish regions. Equilibrium. Quarterly Journal of Economics and Economic Policy, 11(3). doi: 10.12775/EQUIL.2016.021. DOI: https://doi.org/10.12775/EQUIL.2016.021
View in Google Scholar

Lewandowska, A., Pater, R., Stopa, M., & Janiec, M. (2011-2014). The diagnosis of the innovation among enterprises, universities, R+D, business environment institutions and local government. Raport. Rzeszów: Wyższa Szkoła Informatyki i Zarządzania.
View in Google Scholar

Lewandowska, A., Pater, R., Stopa, M., & Janiec, M. (2011- 2014). The implementation of innovative solutions among the ‘Liders in innovation’. Raport. Rzeszów: Wyższa Szkoła Informatyki i Zarządzania.
View in Google Scholar

Lewandowska, A., Stopa, M., & Humenny, G. (2014). Structural funds and regional development. The perspective of SME's in Eastern Poland. European Planning Studies, 23(4). doi: 10.1080/09654313.2014.970132. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09654313.2014.970132
View in Google Scholar

Lewandowska, A., & Stopa, M. (2016). Innovation strategies in SMEs. Some evidence from the case of Podkarpackie, Poland. Modern Management Review, 23(4). DOI: https://doi.org/10.7862/rz.2016.mmr.49
View in Google Scholar

Oslo Manual: Proposed Guidelines for Collecting and Interpreting Technological Innovation Data. (2005). OECD, Eurostat. Retrieved from http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/35/61/2367580.pdf (20.02.2017).
View in Google Scholar

Pater, R., & Lewandowska, A. (2015) Human capital and innovativeness of the European Union regions, Innovation: The European Journal of Social Science Research, 28(1), pp. 31-51. doi: 10.1080/13511610.2014.962487. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13511610.2014.962487
View in Google Scholar

Petrariu, I. R., Bumbac, R., & Ciobanu, R. (2013). Innovation: a path to competitiveness and economic growth. The case of CEE countries. Theoretical and Applied Economics, 20(5).
View in Google Scholar

Piana, B.D., Vecchi, A., & Vivacqua, E. (2015). Innovation, institutions and cultures: exploring the European context, Management Revue, 26(1). doi: 10.5771/0935-9915-2015-1-5. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5771/0935-9915-2015-1-5
View in Google Scholar

Priede, J., & Pereira, E. T. (2013). Innovation as a key factor in the international competitiveness of the European Union. European Integration Studies, 7. doi: 10.5755/j01.eis.0.7.4228. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5755/j01.eis.0.7.4228
View in Google Scholar

Plawgo, B, Klimczak, T., Czyż, P., Boguszewski, R., & Kowalczyk, A. (2013). Regional Innovation systems in Poland. Report. Warszawa: Polska Agencja Rozwoju Przedsiębiorczości.
View in Google Scholar

Rapley, T. (2010). Analiza konwersacji, dyskursu i dokumentów. Warszawa: Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN.
View in Google Scholar

Regional Innovation Scoreboard 2016. (2016). Brussels: European Commission.
View in Google Scholar

Rodríguez-Pose, A., Di Cataldo, M., & Rainoldi, A. (2014). The role of government institutions for smart specialisation and regional development. European Commission, Directorate - Joint Research Centre Institute for Prospective Technological Studies (IPTS).
View in Google Scholar

Silva Cirani, C. B., Kono, C. M., dos Santos, A. M., Cassia, A. R. (2016). The role of public institutions for innovation support in Brazil. Brazilian Business Review, 13(6). doi: 10.15728/bbr.2016.13.6.3. DOI: https://doi.org/10.15728/bbr.2016.13.6.3
View in Google Scholar

Staniszkis, J. (2003). Power of globalization. Warszawa: Wydawnictwo Naukowe Scholar.
View in Google Scholar

Sternberg, R., & Arndt, O. (2001). The firm or the region: what determines the innovation behavior of European firms?, Economic Geography, 77(4). doi: 10.2307/3594106. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/3594106
View in Google Scholar

Wierzbicka, W. (2018). Information infrastructure as a pillar of the knowledge-based economy — an analysis of regional differentiation in Poland. Equilibrium. Quarterly Journal of Economics and Economic Policy, 13(1). doi: 10.24136/eq.2018.007. DOI: https://doi.org/10.24136/eq.2018.007
View in Google Scholar

Woźniak, L., Lewandowska, A., Pater, R., Stopa, M., & Chrzanowski, M. (2015). Why do we need innovation? The problem of innovation in the outermost region the example of the podkarpackie province. Rzeszów: Oficyna Wydawnicza Politechniki Rzeszowskiej.
View in Google Scholar

Znaniecki, F. (2008). Metoda socjologii. Warszawa: Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN.
View in Google Scholar

Żelazny, R., & Pietrucha, J. (2017). Measuring innovation and institution: the creative economy index. Equilibrium. Quarterly Journal of Economics and Economic Policy, 12(1). doi: 10.24136/eq.v12i1.3. DOI: https://doi.org/10.24136/eq.v12i1.3
View in Google Scholar

Downloads

Published

30-06-2018

Issue

Section

Articles

How to Cite

Lewandowska, A., & Stopa, M. (2018). SMEs innovativeness and institutional support system: the local experiences in qualitative perspective. Polish case study. Oeconomia Copernicana, 9(2), 333-351. https://doi.org/10.24136/oc.2018.017

Similar Articles

51-60 of 200

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.