Proinnovative Activities of SMEs in Empirical Research 29 PROINNOVATIVE ACTIVITIES OF SMEs IN EMPIRICAL RESEARCH Helena Kościelniak, Beata Skowron-Grabowska, Iwona Grabara Czestochowa University of Technology Faculty of Management Abstract: The paper is devoted to the problem of innovativeness of SMEs. The aim of the study is to present innovation landscape in terms of matrix (the theoretical part) and the attempt to exemplify innovation areas in the system of regions and appropriate innovative activities of enterprises (the empirical part). To achieve the intended objective there has been used the methodology of the review of the domestic and foreign literature and the methods of comparisons and surveys conducted among entrepreneurs of SME. The value of the study consists in the presentation of new trends in the landscape of innovative activities of SME and the indication of the desired actions to develop the interest of SME in these activities. Keywords: innovation, innovation landscape, innovation of SMEs DOI: 10.17512/znpcz.2017.3.2.03 Introduction In 2009 the OECD released Innovation Strategy in which there were indicated new characteristics of innovation. Modern innovation, among others, is characterized by: the number of participants larger than before, mixing and merging of the number of participants larger than before, creation in accordance with increasingly diversified mechanisms, the course in increasingly varied environments: research consortia, new technological companies, centers of technology transfer, venture capital companies and an increase in importance of hybrid value chains on the way of the integration of innovation and entrepreneurship of the business sector and the social sector (OECD 2009). A well thought-out strategy requires consistent, long-term activities and coordination at each stage of enterprise management. The research by KPMG indicated that less than one fifth of medium and large enterprises in Poland have formally specified innovation strategy; only every tenth company appointed the board member responsible for innovation. Innovativeness is the element of the strategy of 47% of medium and large enterprises, however, it is more common in industrial companies (50%) than in trading and service ones (43%). Nevertheless, in practice, only in every fifth company, innovativeness is of crucial importance compared to the other strategic goals, whereas in as many as two thirds – rather big. Only every tenth company appointed the board member responsible for this area. The studies indicate that only 17% of industrial companies and 13% of trade Zeszyty Naukowe Politechniki Częstochowskiej Zarządzanie Nr 27 t. 2 (2017) s. 29–37 dostępne na: http://www.zim.pcz.pl/znwz