Is the Polish economy innovative?

Abstract

This study is intended to be a counterweight to the enthusiasm with which many studies show how innovative Polish enterprises are. A lot has been written about innovation activities done by organisations, companies or corporations in Poland. However, despite innovation potential held by them, their activities may not always be regarded as breakthrough solutions, bearing any importance for the global economy. The aim of the study was to answer the question formulated in the title. The method used to achieve this goal was to analyze selected data, published in the official sources (the European Commission, the Central Statistics Office in Poland), as well as to present the results of the latest Innovation Union Scoreboard, with a special attention given to the innovation performance of Poland. This analysis was preceded by methodological notes explaining the principles of the classification of countries as well as methods applied for the construction of the indicators used in the study. Based on a study published by the CSO, the study later presents selected information on innovation activities of Polish enterprises and ways of financing these activities. The article is not only a review of the information gathered in the given sources, but it also contains its own findings and conclusions that support the opinion implied in the title: in order to be called a fully innovative economy, the Polish economy has to undergo a lot of changes.