Innovation management: subject re-evaluation

Abstract

The article is of a conceptual character and proposes a change in the paradigm of thinking about innovation management. The growing belief in the importance of innovation for increasing the competitive advantage of companies and the international position of the national economy does not go hand in hand with the effectiveness of innovation management. This applies in particular to the so-called catching-up countries, which include Poland and other countries of Central and Eastern Europe. It was the basis for proposing the concept of innovation management from the subjective approach and its operationalization in the context of the needs arising from contemporary development trends. The author proposes appreciating the subjective role of the individual (a human being) in the innovation process. Therefore, the purpose of the article is to dissect the innovation process as the capacity to implement innovations, and then integrate them into the subjective approach of innovativeness. The hypothesis is proved by demonstrating that the new approach opens the perspective of causing that innovativeness becomes a universal competence (meta-competence), which may lead to an increase in the effectiveness of innovation management in the form of higher innovation intensity. This higher efficiency is indirectly achieved by shaping the appropriate innovative attitudes and behaviours of people. The results of the conducted research will increase understanding of the reasons for insufficient innovation in Polish enterprises and the economy as a whole. At the same time, they set the direction for further research, including institutional conditions for innovation and innovativeness, because people’s innovative attitudes and behaviours are influenced by a series of behavioural institutions. The study also indicates some directions for integrating innovation management in the subject approach with the innovation policy of governments and institutional reforms oriented towards the dissemination of civilization progress.