The Technological Factors of Enterprise Innovation in a Strategic Perspective

Abstract

Enterprise innovation is currently becoming a recognized factor of the competitiveness, survival, and development of companies in the market economy. Managers still need recommendations on ways of stimulating the growth of innovation in their companies. The objective of this paper is to identify the strategic factors of enterprise innovativeness in the area of technology, defined as the most important internal factors positively impacting the innovativeness of enterprises in a strategic perspective. Empirical studies were conducted using the Computer-Assisted Web Interview (CAWI) method on a purposive sample of N = 180 small and medium-sized innovative industrial processing enterprises in Poland. Data analysis was performed using Exploratory Factor Analysis within the Confirmatory Factor Analysis framework (E-CFA) and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). Empirical research shows that the strategic factor of enterprise innovativeness in the area of technology is technological activity. A technologically active company should (1) possess a modern machinery stock, (2) conduct systematic technological audits, and (3) maintain close technical cooperation with the suppliers of raw materials, consumables, and intermediates. The implementation of the indicated recommendations by managers should lead to increased innovativeness of small and medium-sized industrial companies. The author recommends the use of the presented research procedure and data analysis methods in further studies.