Innovative Capacity in Small Regional Enterprises in Transition Economies: An Exploratory Study in Poland

Abstract

Organizations require the capability for innovation development to remain competitive in transition economies. This study investigates levels of IT user capacity for innovations in relation to organizational position and firm size in three dimensions, social competences, knowledge, and skills, in Poland, a transition economy. Two trials of 60 IT users were constructed via an interpersonal network using sequential random sampling. A new questionnaire and methodology to optimize passive experimentation allowed for verification of sampling, unique to this type of research. The novelty is regional population within a transition economy, Poland, with regard to social competence, skills, and knowledge in Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) among IT users. Results suggest that IT users in regional small and micro enterprises in Poland – support ICT innovation processes by developing social competences, knowledge and skills. However innovation process can depend on the firm size.

Keywords: Capacity, Competences, Innovation, Small Enterprises, IT Users, Knowledge, Skills, Transition Economies, Region, Poland

JEL Classification: J00, J30, J31, J32, J40, M50