Cooperation of Enterprises in the Area of Innovative Activity

Cooperation between entities of different types is of major importance for the process of developing and implementing an innovation. The aim of the paper was to present results of research concerning cooperation of enterprises in the area of innovation with their suppliers and buyers, with other enterprises and with scientific institutions (institution carrying scientific research) as well as organizations dealing with transfer of innovations. The study using questionnaire covered 156 enterprises from the region of northeastern Poland, which declared introducing product and/or process innovations. The cooperation occurred most frequently within the chain of supplier-processor-buyer, which is consistent with the global trends. The cooperation was much more frequently undertaken by larger entities and it involved a wide range of partner institutions. Small and medium enterprises represent a low level of cooperation with innovation transfer institutions.