Innovative Activity of Companies in the Raw Material Industry on the Example of Poland and Slovakia – Selected Aspects

Abstract

This paper discusses selected aspects of Innovative activity of companies in the raw material industry. The analysis included two countries from the group of Moderate Innovators (according to the Global Innovation Index, GII), namely Poland and Slovakia. A general comparison of the innovativeness level of Poland and Slovakia with the EU countries was conducted using indicators such as the Innovation-friendly Environment (IFE) or the Summary Innovation Index (SII). The presented structure of expenditures on industrial innovation among the analysed countries revealed the absence of concentration in organizational and marketing innovations, which nowadays possesses significant importance. The conclusion resulting from the study is that Poland and Slovakia should undoubtedly increase their innovative potential, i.a. in the use of their mineral raw materials as non-renewable resources, by identifying the sources of innovation, as well as the opportunities and threats associated with their implementation in raw material enterprises.