Development and Implementation of Sustainability-oriented Innovation in Polish Small and Medium-sized Enterprises

Innovation is key for companies to stay competitive and to successfully compete in changing markets and environments. One way of innovation with rising importance for companies is sustainability, a concept which aims to integrate ecological and social dimensions into conventional management. Sustainability relates to the triple bottom line and implies that besides conventional economic, ecological and social aspects are to be met in order to truly achieve long-term “sustainable” solutions. The main objective of the study is to identify the potential of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) in Poland to undertake challenges and actions in the sphere of Sustainability-Oriented Innovation (SOI). The study included an analysis of the response of SMEs to increasing environmental requirements and the impact of investments in eco-innovation on the competitive potential of Polish enterprises. Furthermore, the research covered the development potential of SOI among SMEs. Development level of markets for technologies, products and services characterised by high environmental values was analysed. For the purposes of this study, the following broad definition of SOI was adopted: Sustainability-Oriented Innovation (SOI) is the commercial introduction of a new (or improved) product (service), product-service system, or pure service which – based on a traceable (qualitative or quantitative) comparative analysis – leads to environmental and (or) social benefits over the prior version’s physical life-cycle.