Improved new technological process of practical activity. Scientific approaches to the definition of the term "innovation

Innovation

In the world economic literature, innovation is interpreted as the transformation of potential scientific and technological progress into real, embodied in new products and technologies.

There are hundreds of definitions in the literature (see Table 1.1 for examples). For example, on the basis of content or internal structure, innovations are technical, economic, organizational, managerial, etc.

For example, B. twist defines innovation as a process in which an invention or idea acquires economic content. F. Nixon considers innovation to be a set of technical, industrial and commercial activities that bring new and improved industrial processes and equipment to the market. B. Santo believes that innovation is such a social, technical, economic process that, through the practical use of ideas and inventions, leads to the creation of products and technologies that are best in their properties, and if it focuses on economic benefits, profit, the emergence of innovation on the market can generate additional income. I. Schumpeter treats innovation as a new scientific and organizational combination production factors motivated by an entrepreneurial spirit.

Table 1.1 Definitions of “innovation”

At present, technological innovations are subject to the concepts established in International Standards in Science, Technology and Innovation Statistics. International Standards in statistics of science, technology and innovation - recommendations international organizations in the field of science and innovation statistics, providing their systematic description in a market economy.

In accordance with these standards, innovation is the end result of innovative activity, embodied in the form of a new or improved product introduced to the market, a new or improved technological process used in practice, or in a new approach to social services.

Thus:

1. innovation is a consequence of innovation activity;
2. the specific content of innovation is change;
3. the main function of innovation is the function of change.

The Austrian scientist I. Schumpeter identified five typical changes:

1. use of new technology, new technological processes or a new market supply of production (purchase - sale);
2. introduction of products with new properties;
3. use of new raw materials;
4. changes in the organization of production and its logistics;
5. emergence of new markets.

I. Schumpeter formulated these provisions back in 1911. Later, in the 30s, he introduced the concept of "innovation", interpreting it as a change with the aim of introducing and using new types of consumer goods, new production and Vehicle, markets and forms of organization in industry.

In a number of sources, innovation is viewed as a process. This concept recognizes that innovation develops over time and has distinct stages.

According to modern concepts Three properties are equally important for innovation: scientific and technical novelty, industrial applicability, commercial feasibility (the ability to meet market demand and make a profit for the manufacturer). The absence of any of them negatively affects the innovation process.

Innovation process

The terms "innovation" and "innovation process" are not unambiguous, although they are close. The innovation process is associated with the creation, development and dissemination of innovations.

There are three logical forms of the innovation process:

• simple intraorganizational (natural);
• simple interorganizational (commodity);
• extended.

Simple innovation process involves the creation and use of innovation within the same organization, innovation in this case does not take a direct commodity form.

At simple cross-organizational innovation process innovation acts as an object of sale. This form of the innovation process means separating the function of the creator and producer of innovation from the function of its consumer.

Finally, advanced innovation process manifests itself in the creation of more and more innovation manufacturers, the violation of the monopoly of the pioneer manufacturer, which contributes to the improvement through mutual competition consumer properties manufactured goods.

In the conditions of the commodity innovation process, there are at least two economic entities: the producer (creator) and the consumer (user) of innovation. If the innovation is a technological process, its producer and consumer can be combined in one economic entity.

As the innovation process turns into a commercial one, two phases are distinguished:

1. Creation and distribution

Creating an innovation- successive stages of scientific research, development work, organization of pilot production and marketing, organization of commercial production (the beneficial effect of innovation has not yet been realized, but only the prerequisites for such implementation are being created).

Diffusion of innovation- this is the redistribution of a socially beneficial effect between the producers of innovation, as well as between producers and consumers (this is an information process, the form and speed of which depends on the power of communication channels, the characteristics of the perception of information by business entities, their ability to use this information in practice, etc. )

2. Diffusion of innovation

Diffusion of innovation- the process by which an innovation is communicated through communication channels between members social system in time (in other words, diffusion is the spread of an innovation already once mastered and used in new conditions or places of application).

One of the important factors in the spread of any innovation is its interaction with the relevant socio-economic environment, an essential element of which are competing technologies.

Innovation management

Innovation management- a set of principles, methods and forms of management of innovative processes, innovative activities, organizational structures engaged in this activity and their personnel.

Innovative activity (R & D and implementation of their results in production) is one of the main areas of activity of any organization. The field of R&D is directly related to marketing, and this relationship is two-way. R&D units should be based in their activities on marketing research needs and market conditions, and, therefore, they should work on the instructions of marketing services. On the other hand, tracking the trends of the scientific and technical process, forecasting and the actual development of new products require the setting of tasks from the R&D departments. marketing services to conduct an appropriate assessment of the market potential of new products.

The task of R&D is to create new products (or services) that will be the basis production activities organizations in the future. When conducting R&D, production culture, traditions, organization, infrastructure, technological level, human resources, etc. should be taken into account. But perhaps the most important circumstance is that R&D as an activity facing the future is closely related and mutually determines the strategic management of the company. A strategy becomes a reality only as a result of the development of a specific product or process. R&D expenditure is an investment in the future of an organization, but at the same time it is associated with high uncertainty and risk.

All of the above gives grounds to conclude that in most cases R&D management (forecasting, planning, project evaluation, organization and integrated management, control over the progress of R&D) is more strategically important task than the actual implementation of R&D (it is more important to determine the right direction of movement than to focus on specific steps in this direction).

Thus, R&D and its management (innovation management) are closely related to theory and practice. general management, marketing, production management, logistics, strategic management, financial management enterprises.

Experts identify the following innovation management functions:

1. constant adjustment of innovative goals and programs depending on the state of the market and changes in the external environment;
2. focus on achieving the planned end result of the organization's innovative activities;
3. use of a modern information base for multivariate calculations when making management decisions;
4. function change strategic management and planning (from current to prospective);
5. the use of all the main factors of change and improvement of the innovative activity of the organization;
6. involvement in the management of the entire scientific, technical and production potential of the organization;
7. implementation of management based on anticipation of changes and flexible decision making;
8. ensuring the innovation process in each segment of the organization;
9. deep economic analysis every management decision.

Innovation managers have to deal with a complex managerial tasks:

• determination of the goals of strategic management of the development of the organization;
• identifying priority tasks, determining the order and sequence of their solution;
• change management in the organization;
• preparation of a system of measures for the development and development of new types of products;
• grade necessary resources and search for sources of their provision;
• ensuring strict control over the fulfillment of tasks in the field of innovation;
• ensuring the competitiveness of the organization in a highly competitive environment;
• achieving maximum profit in specific business conditions;
• early preparation of the necessary innovations;
• improvement of the organizational structure of the organization in accordance with changing requirements;
• security effective work each employee and team as a whole;
• the ability to reasonably take risks and at the same time be able to minimize the impact of risky situations on financial position organizations.

The specificity of innovation as an object of management implies a special nature of the activity of an innovation manager. Except general requirements(creative character, analytical skills, etc.), he must be a true professional, know the production and technological field of innovation; state of the innovative product market, investment market; organization of innovative activities for the development and development of new types of products and the provision of new types of services; financial and economic analysis of innovation, production and investment activities; basics labor relations and motivation of personnel; legal regulation and types state support innovative activity. Special attention should be given to the preparation and adoption of managerial decisions, as well as control at each stage of its passage. Final goal innovation management is to improve the efficiency of resource use and ensure the rational functioning of the subjects of innovation.

The word "innovation" is translated into Russian as "novelty", "innovation", "innovation". In management, innovation is understood as an innovation that has been mastered in production and has found its consumer. More broadly defined: Innovation is the end result of the activity of innovating, which is embodied in the form of a new or improved product introduced to the market, a new or improved process used in organizational activities, a new approach to social problems.

Here, attention should be paid to the broad interpretation of the concept of innovation - it can be a new product, a new technological process, a new structure and management system for an organization, a new culture, new information, etc.

Under the innovation in the XIX century. understood, first of all, the introduction of elements of one culture into another. In the XX century. technical improvements were considered innovations. J. Schumpeter at the beginning of the century understood the role of innovation as a means to overcome economic downturns. He pointed out that the source of profits can be not only price manipulation and cost reduction, but also a change in products.

In his work The Theory of Economic Development, Schumpeter wrote: “Under the enterprise, we mean the implementation of new combinations, as well as what these combinations are embodied in: factories, etc. We call entrepreneurs economic entities, whose function is precisely the implementation of new combinations and which act as its active element.

The concept of "implementation of new combinations" according to Schumpeter covers the following five cases: 1. Making a new one, that is, not yet known to consumers good or the creation of a new quality of a good.

2. The introduction of a new method (method) of production not known to this industry, which is not necessarily based on a new scientific discovery and which may even consist in a different way of commercial use of the product in question.

3. The development of a new sales market, that is, a market in which the given industry of this country has not yet been represented, regardless of whether this market existed before or not.

4. Obtaining a new source of raw materials or semi-finished products, equally regardless of whether this source existed before or simply was not taken into account, or was considered unavailable, or it had yet to be created.

5. Carrying out an appropriate reorganization, for example, securing a monopoly position (through the creation of a trust) or undermining the monopoly position of another enterprise.

If we consider innovation as the end result, then it must have somewhere its beginning, source, and this beginning is some kind of idea, idea, invention. There is a long path from this idea to its implementation, containing many stages and actions. This path is called the innovation process.

It is necessary to highlight the characteristic properties of innovation that distinguish it from a simple innovation:

Scientific and technical novelty;

Industrial applicability;

Commercial feasibility.

The commercial aspect defines innovation as an economic necessity realized through the needs of the market. From this point of view, there are two points:

"materialization" of innovation - from an idea to its implementation in a product, service, technology; "commercialization" of innovation - turning it into a source of income.

The innovative activity of firms is a much more effective means of competition than all traditional methods. With it, other methods can no longer play a significant role. In the second half of the XX century. A boom in innovations began in all spheres of society. In 1979, the US Congress passed the National Science and Technology Innovation Act, which stated that innovation is a central issue for US economic, environmental, and social prosperity. The innovative strategy was designed to reduce the trade deficit, win competition in the world market, and stabilize the dollar. In Germany, it was also confirmed at the state level that innovations are the main means of combating all social diseases. Thus, the fact that in 1940-50. was the strategy of individual firms, in the 1970-80s. becomes the strategy of entire nations, public policy developed countries.

At the same time, the science of innovation activity also developed. It meant a departure from understanding the market as a free game of supply and demand. Now it was supposed to seize the initiative from the market, manage the market, provoke the emergence of needs mass buyer, offer him something that he has not yet had time to think about. This strategy created the "consumer society".

The classification of innovations makes it possible to systematize knowledge about the types of innovations, their manifestations and positions in the company's system. The methodology for a systematic description of innovations is based on international standards, recommendations for practical application which were adopted in Oslo in 1992 and were called the Oslo Guidelines.

There are several approaches to the classification of innovations.

1 Classification by objects of innovation, location, degree of novelty.

1. Depending on the type of object, innovations are divided into:

Subject innovations are new material resources, raw materials, semi-finished products, components, products. Innovation in the form of a new product is defining and is called product innovation. Such innovation aims to meet new needs or existing needs, but in a different way;

Process innovations are new services, production processes, methods of organizing production, organizational structures, management systems. In this class of innovations, innovation in the field of production processes is the defining one, it is also called technological innovation. Such innovation is aimed at improving the quality of the product, increasing labor productivity and increasing production volumes.

2. According to the place in the enterprise system, innovations are divided into:

Innovations at the entrance of the enterprise - new material resources, raw materials, information;

Innovations within the enterprise system are new semi-finished products, technological processes, information Technology, organizational structure. Economic effect such innovation remains in the enterprise;

Innovations at the output of the enterprise are new products, services, technologies and information intended for sale (know-how). The economic effect of such an innovation is received by the consumer.

3. Depending on the degree of novelty, innovations are distinguished:

Radical (basic) - for example, a new product based on a pioneer invention;

Improving - for example, a new product based on an invention that improves on the pioneer invention;

Modification (private) - for example, a new product based on a rationalization proposal.

Invention - a new and significantly different "technical" solution practical task in any area of ​​the economic, socio-cultural or defense sphere. A pioneer invention is an outstanding invention that has not been preceded by prototypes (analogues) in the world practice, they are based on discoveries.

Discovery is the establishment of previously unknown, objectively existing patterns, properties and phenomena of the material world, introducing fundamental changes in the level of knowledge.

A rational proposal is a “technical” solution that is relatively new, for example, new to a given industry, or to a given market, or to a given organization.

In Russian law, the term "innovation" appeared in the early 1980s. The definition of innovation is given in the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of July 24, 1998 N 832 "On the concept of innovation policy Russian Federation for 1998-2000 "* (988). Innovation (innovation) is considered as the end result of innovative activity, which has received implementation in the form of a new or improved product sold on the market, a new or improved technological process used in practice.

There are different approaches to understanding the essence of innovation. Innovations are considered both as a result of scientific and technical activity, and as a process of creating and distributing new equipment, technology, organizational forms and so on. The concepts of innovation, innovation, innovation are used in different ways. Often they are identified. Sometimes innovation is associated with the initial stage of the research and production cycle (invention, know-how, etc.), innovation is associated with the use of innovation at an intermediate stage, and innovation is seen as the dissemination of innovation at the final stage of the research and production cycle. The main characteristics of innovation are primarily novelty and commercialization. Innovation is not always accepted commodity form. They can be created for internal use, but in this case, commercialization remains a potential property of innovation.

Currently, there is no single approach to the division of innovations into types. They are classified, for example, depending on the level of novelty of innovation: radical (implementation of discoveries, inventions, patents) and ordinary (know-how, rationalization proposals, etc.) or depending on the scope of innovation: managerial, organizational, social, industrial. The criteria for classifying innovations can be the scale of innovations, effectiveness, the stage of the scientific and technical process, the pace of implementation.

In general, all innovations are divided into two main categories: technological and non-technological. Technological innovations include innovations that affect the means, methods, production technologies that determine scientific and technical progress, to non-technological - organizational, managerial, social. Technological innovations, in turn, are divided into product and process ones * (989).

A product innovation can be basic or enhancement. A core product innovation is a new product whose performance characteristics, materials and components are significantly different from previous products. An improved product innovation is an existing product that has been markedly improved in quality or cost. Process innovation refers to a technologically new or improved production method. In connection with the mentioned innovations, it should be noted the changes made to the methodology for determining the innovative activity of industrial enterprises. If earlier innovation activities included the whole range of scientific, technological and organizational activities carried out at industrial enterprises, since 2003, it has been recommended to include technological innovations - product and process - as in official statistics, as innovation activities. Such changes were caused by the need to identify the most effective innovations introduced into production in order to significantly intensify production and improve the quality of products * (990).

The aforementioned Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation "On the concept of the innovation policy of the Russian Federation for 1998-2000" contains a definition of innovation activity. Innovation activity is understood as a process aimed at implementing the results of completed scientific research and development or other scientific and technological achievements into a new or improved product sold on the market, into a new or improved technological process used in practical activities, as well as related additional scientific Research and development.

Distinguish the concept of innovation in a broad and narrow sense. In a broad sense, innovation is understood as the use of scientific and technical knowledge in order to transform various aspects of social life. In a narrow sense, this is an activity aimed at obtaining new scientific and technical knowledge and their implementation in the manufacturing sector in order to create a competitive product.

It should be noted that in regulations and scientific literature there is no single approach to the definition of innovative activity. Some authors believe that research activities do not always lead to results that should be implemented, and can hardly be considered innovative. In this case, innovation activity turns out to be activity only for the creation of developments and their practical implementation, and the process of creating and identifying innovations (knowledge, technologies, etc.) remains outside of it.

Another definition of innovative activity is related to understanding it as a process of performing work or services for the creation, development in production and practical application of new or improved products, a new or improved technological process. More often, this broader definition of innovation activity is used, according to which scientific activity and scientific and technical activity are stages of the innovation process and their combination with "material" stages (production, trade and consumption) is considered as an innovation cycle.

The innovation process can be divided into separate stages. Sometimes three phases of the innovation process for a new product are considered: development, adoption, and dissemination. There are four steps in this process: fundamental research, applied research, research and development and experimental development, commercialization of the results of scientific research and development. Innovative activity is also considered as a mediating link between the actual scientific and industrial spheres. In this case, the innovation sphere differs from the scientific and industrial one by the presence of a specific marketing function, specific methods of financing, lending and methods legal regulation, special system of motivation of subjects of innovative activity * (991).

The development of innovative processes is primarily due to socio-economic transformations. Innovative activity in modern Russia associated with the formation of a new, entrepreneurial culture. The idea of ​​innovation as the main functional characteristic entrepreneurship was justified by J. Schumpeter. He wrote about the businessman carrying out "reorganization of economic life on the basis of greater private economic expediency" * (992). The purpose of innovation is to increase production efficiency, create a competitive product that can provide additional profit. Any innovative activity is entrepreneurial, since it is independent, associated with the willingness of the entrepreneur to take all the risk and responsibility for the implementation of a new project.

Sometimes innovative activity is considered as a kind of activity that includes only elements of entrepreneurship. This is explained by the fact that the creation of new and original products and their implementation as elements of the first stages of the innovation process do not apply to entrepreneurial activity in the exact meaning of this concept, because the decisive criterion that determines commercial success is the quality of new end products, technologies and machines. Besides at the first stages of an innovative cycle activity, as a rule, is unprofitable * (993).

In the mid-80s of the twentieth century. the term "national innovation system" appeared in Western economic literature. The national innovation system is considered as a set of interrelated organizations (structures) engaged in the production and commercial implementation of scientific knowledge and technologies within national boundaries. At the same time, the national innovation system is a complex of legal, financial and social institutions that ensure innovation processes and have strong national roots, traditions, political and cultural characteristics * (994).

The effectiveness of innovative development depends on the interaction between the participants in the innovation process. The role of the state, for example, is to promote innovative business, but the private sector also provides support to the state in its innovation policy, in particular, with contributions to innovation funds and assistance to scientific organizations. In order to promote new technologies in production, it is necessary to interact with state scientific organizations and universities with industrial enterprises.

On the formation and state of the national innovation system many factors influence. The current state of the national innovation system in Russia is called a crisis. It is due to insufficient funding of science from federal budget, lack of demand for scientific and technical developments from the private sector, "brain drain", etc. In Russia, an innovative system of a new type should be formed, which will be able to unite the efforts of the state, the scientific community and the private business sector of the economy to implement the country's transition to innovative way development.

The formation of a national innovation system provides for the construction of an innovation infrastructure, i.e. a complex of organizations providing services for the creation, development in production and practical application of a new or improved product, a new or improved technological process. They are in a certain relationship, expressing the unity of the stages of innovation. These are investment and innovation funds, banks, business incubators, economic associations, financial groups related to scientific and technical innovations, etc. An obligatory element of the infrastructure of the innovation market is the so-called innovation intermediaries that promote innovation to the market. These include organizations involved in patenting, licensing, commercialization of developments, consulting and marketing of innovations. Specialized firms - innovative intermediaries receive intermediary profit by optimizing the innovation process or its individual stages.

The most important direction in the creation of innovation infrastructure in Russia is the formation of scientific and technological parks, innovation and technology centers and business incubators. The first domestic industrial park was created in 1990 in Tomsk. Today, hundreds of small innovative firms operate as part of and with the support of innovation and technology centers and technology parks. The difference lies in the fact that in the first case assistance is provided to already established small innovative firms, in the second case - to start-up small firms. There are two types of business incubators: they can be an integral part of a technology park, but they can also be an independent organization. Legally, business incubators are most often designed as non-profit organizations specializing in supporting small businesses. Currently, there are about 40 innovation and technology centers, 80 technology parks and about 60 business incubators in Russia. From the point of view of the formation of a technopark, science cities are promising, concentrating the scientific and technical potential of the defense sector and large universities.

1) a new or improved product introduced on the market,

2) a new or improved technological process used in practice,

3) a new approach to social services.

Most Attention deserves the analysis carried out by Urazova N.G. and Gedich T.G., where all definitions of innovation are considered:

As a result;

Like a process;

Like change.

The first approach considers innovation as an end result. creative activity, embodied in the form of a new or improved product sold on the market, or a new or improved technological process used in practice. In this approach, the concept of innovation is equated with the concept of innovation.

The second approach considers innovation as a process of creating, implementing and disseminating innovations. This approach is also characterized by equating the concept of "innovation" with the concept of innovation.

The third approach, in which innovation is understood as changes in the economic, social, scientific, technical and other areas due to the introduction of this innovation. In this approach, it is no longer appropriate to equate the concept of innovation with the concept of innovation or innovation, since it has a completely different meaning.

Currently, there are two approaches to defining the concept of innovation: broad and narrow.

The broad approach is that innovation is understood as any change, for example, a new payment scheme with suppliers or some fresh design solutions.

The narrow approach is based on the definition of innovations as fundamental changes in the reproductive system that change its main functional feature (first-level innovations).

Innovation arises as a result of using the results of scientific research and development aimed at improving the process of production activity, economic, legal and social relations in the field of science, culture, education, and in other areas of society. This term can have different meanings in different contexts, depending on the specific purpose of the measurement or analysis. Innovation- this is the end result of innovative activity, which has received implementation in the form of a new or improved product sold on the market, a new or improved technological process used in practice. This definition contained in international standards, recommendations for which were adopted in Oslo (Norway) in 1992, hence the name - "Oslo Guide". They are developed in relation to technological innovations and cover new products and processes, as well as their significant technological change.

It should be noted about the existence of the "Frascati leadership", which was adopted in the Italian city of Frascati in 1963. The Frascati Guide is a study by national science and innovation experts from the OECD. It is a recommendation for the collection, processing and analysis of information about science and innovation, but does not give a clear definition of the concept of "innovation".

Thus, many authors agree that the end result of innovation is commercial success. An innovation is considered implemented if it is implemented in the market or in the production process. Accordingly, two types of technological innovations are distinguished: product and process. Product innovation covers the introduction of new or improved products. Process innovation is the development of new or significantly improved products, organization of production. The release of such products is not possible using existing equipment or applied production methods.

In other words, innovation is the result of the implementation of new ideas and knowledge in order to practical use to meet specific consumer needs.

This means that if, for example, a new idea, reflected in diagrams, drawings or thoroughly described, but it is not used in any industry or area, and it cannot find a consumer on the market, then this new idea, this knowledge, which is the result of creative work, is not an innovation.

It follows that the main properties (criteria) of innovation are:

ü scientific and technical novelty;

ü practical implementation (industrial applicability), i.e. use e.g. in industry, agriculture, healthcare, education or other areas of activity;

ü commercial feasibility, which means that the innovation is “accepted” by the market, i.e. marketable; which, in turn, means the ability to satisfy certain consumer needs.

Thus, a new idea in itself, no matter how thoroughly it is described, formalized and presented in diagrams and drawings, is not an innovation (innovation) if this idea is not embodied in products, services or processes used in practice. Only new ideas implemented in new products or processes are called innovations, i.e. the indispensable properties, criteria for innovation are the novelty of the idea and its implementation, implementation in practice, in new products or processes.

Since a new idea is embodied in real objects or processes, it turns out to be focused on meeting the practical needs of people.

Thus, in a market economy, such an integral criterion of innovation as the practical implementation of a new idea turns out to be closely related to the criterion of its commercial feasibility through the appearance on the market of new (innovative) products or services.

The innovation itself is a materialized result obtained from the investment of capital in new technology or technology, into new forms of organization of labor production, service, management, etc.

IN modern economy the role of innovation has increased significantly. Without the use of innovations, it is almost impossible to create competitive products that have a high degree of science intensity and novelty. Thus, in market economy innovations are an effective means of competition, as they lead to the creation of new needs, to a reduction in the cost of production, to an influx of investments, to an increase in the image (rating) of a manufacturer of new products, to the discovery and capture of new markets, including external ones.

Innovation as an economic category reflects the most general properties, signs, connections and relations of production and implementation of innovations. The essence of innovation is manifested in its functions. The functions of innovation reflect its purpose in economic system state and its role in economic process. Innovation plays a special role in increasing the competitiveness of enterprises.

IN innovation management allocate following features innovation. The first function of innovation is that almost all innovations are aimed at reducing costs (labor, resources, energy), they create opportunities for involving new productive forces in production, and increase the efficiency of labor and production. The second function of innovation is to improve the quality of manufactured products, which leads to an increase in the level of production and consumption, and improves the quality of life. The third function of innovation is that by improving quality, reducing costs and improving consumption, they contribute to maintaining the proportions between supply and demand, between production and consumption. The fourth function of innovation is that in the process of developing and using innovations, the intellectual potential of a person is actively developed, conditions are created for creative growth, and scientific and technical progress is accelerating.

The incentive mechanism for the development of innovations, first of all, is market competition. In market conditions, producers of products or services are constantly forced to look for ways to reduce production costs and enter new markets. Therefore, entrepreneurial firms that are the first to master effective innovations gain a significant advantage over competitors.

Innovation is a result realized on the market, obtained from capital investment in a new product or operation (technology, process). In this regard, with all the variety of market innovations, an important condition for their practical implementation in business is to attract innovative investments in sufficient volume.

Due to their specific nature, small businesses have to be more active in the market, using their flexibility and ability to quickly reorient. Therefore, it is often small businesses that become the pioneers of new products and new technologies in various industries. Innovative activity helps to increase the company's survival in the competitive struggle, which is especially important for a small business. In addition, when implementing an innovation offered for sale, there is an exchange of "money - innovation". Cash received by the entrepreneur as a result of such an exchange, firstly, cover the costs of creating and selling innovations, secondly, they make a profit from the implementation of innovations, thirdly, they act as an incentive to create new innovations, and fourthly, they are a source of financing for a new innovative process.

"Innovation (innovation) is the end result of innovative activity, realized in the form of a new or improved product sold on the market, a new or improved technological process used in practice." (terms used in the "Concept of the Innovation Policy of the Russian Federation for 1998-2000", approved by Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of June 24, 1998 No. 832.)

An indispensable property of innovation is scientific and technical novelty. The "novelty" of innovations is evaluated by technological parameters, as well as from market positions. Today, the description of technological innovations is based on international standards, recommendations for which were adopted in Oslo in 1992. (the so-called "Oslo Guide"). These standards cover new products and new processes as well as their significant technological changes. Therefore, it is necessary to distinguish innovation from:

· minor modifications in products and technological processes (changes in color, shape, etc.);

minor technical or external changes to the product, as well as its components;

· Expansion of the range of products by mastering the production of products that were not previously produced at this enterprise, but are already known on the market.

Innovation- the formalized result of the fundamental, applied research, development or experimental work, in any field of activity to improve its efficiency. Innovations can take the form of discoveries, inventions, patents, trademarks, rationalization proposals, documentation for a new or improved product (technology, managerial or manufacturing process, organizational, production or other structure), know-how, concepts, scientific approaches or principles, documents (standards, recommendations, methods, instructions, etc.), results marketing research etc.

innovation(lat. Novation - change, update) is any innovation that did not exist before (synonymous with innovation).

Study- the process of obtaining previously unknown data or the observation of a previously unknown phenomenon of nature or the human environment.

Invention- this is the result of research, implemented in a new device, mechanism, tool, technology, method and other things created by man.

Innovation- replacement of an old object (phenomenon) with a new one. Innovation can be. process or result.

Innovation activity- a process aimed at implementing the results of completed research and development or other scientific and technological achievements in a new or improved product sold on the market, in a new or improved technological process used in practice, as well as additional research and development related to this ;

State innovation policy– definition by authorities state power the Russian Federation and state authorities of the subjects of the Federation of the goals of the innovation strategy and mechanisms for supporting priority innovation programs and projects;

Innovation potential (states, industries, organizations) - a set of various kinds resources (including material, financial, intellectual, scientific and technical, etc.) necessary for the implementation of innovative activities;

Innovation sphere- area of ​​activity of producers and consumers innovative products(works, services), including the creation and dissemination of innovations;

Innovation infrastructure- organizations that contribute to the implementation of innovative activities (innovation and technology centers, technology incubators, technology parks, educational and business centers and other specialized organizations);

Innovation program- (federal, interstate, industry) - a set of innovative projects and activities, agreed on resources, executors and deadlines for their implementation and ensuring effective solution tasks for the development and dissemination of fundamentally new types of products (technology).

Innovation process- the process of creation, implementation and dissemination of innovations (innovations).

See also Frascati's Guide.

Currently, in relation to technological innovations, the concepts established Oslo leadership and reflected in International Standards in Science, Technology and Innovation Statistics. International standards in science, technology and innovation statistics - recommendations of international organizations in the field of science and innovation statistics, providing their systematic description in a market economy.

An innovation is an innovation if it meets the following conditions:

1. Implemented, practically used.

2. Brings commercial benefits.

3. Contains a scientific or technical development.