Selected Aspects of Innovative Activity of Polish Enterprises in 2016–2020

The study aimed to analyse selected aspects of innovative activities of enterprises in Poland in 2016–2020. The article is based on literature studies, using a query of scientific publications and statistical analyses of data published by Statistics Poland and the Patent Office of the Republic of Poland (PORP) for 2016–2020. Findings show that in 2016–2020 the number of innovative industrial and service enterprises that primarily implemented innovations in business processes was increasing. The innovations included, in particular, processes of manufacturing products in industrial enterprises, as well as external and internal communication in service enterprises. Although the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic did not affect the activities of the majority of surveyed companies significantly, the changes in the functioning of those impacted by COVID-19 caused a more frequent implementation of innovations in business processes than in the product processes. Innovative activities conducted in enterprises were financed mainly from own funds, including internal outlays for innovative activities of enterprises and funds obtained from government and local government institutions, most often used by the entrepreneurs to purchase fixed assets. The smallest share of outlays was allocated to the protection of intellectual property in enterprises, which is undoubtedly one of the most often underestimated areas determining effective protection of innovations in enterprises.