Innovation activity in industry and selected services, Slovenia, 2012–2014

In 2012–2014 there were slightly fewer innovation active enterprises than in 2010–2012

Almost 46% of enterprises in the 2012–2014 period either introduced new or significantly improved products on the market, introduced new or significantly improved processes in their enterprise, implemented an organisational or marketing innovation, or at least carried out innovation activities aimed at introducing product or process innovations. Thus they can be called innovation active. Innovation activities of the enterprises in the 2012–2014 period compared to the 2010–2012 period decreased by 0.6 of a percentage point.

Most innovation active enterprises (48%) have introduced technological and non-technological innovation

In the observed period, 1,906 enterprises were innovation active, which is 45.9% of all observed enterprises; only technological innovations were introduced by 457 or 24% of all innovation active enterprises, only non-technological innovations by 534 or 28% of all innovation active enterprises, and both technological and non-technological innovations by 915 or 48% of all innovation active enterprises. Among technological innovation active enterprises, almost 49% introduced both product and process innovations. 28% of enterprises introduced only product innovations, 20% only process innovations and almost 4% started the innovation activity but have not yet finished or/and abandoned it before the end of the observed period. Both types of non-technological innovations (organisational and marketing) were introduced by almost 42% of enterprises, only organisational innovation was introduced by 28% of enterprises, and only marketing innovation by 30% of all non-technological innovative enterprises.

Small enterprises still lag behind in terms of innovation activities

The share of innovation active enterprises grows with the enterprise size. Small enterprises (10-49 persons in paid employment) are the least engaged in innovation activity; in 2012-2014, 39.7% of small enterprises were innovation active. A higher share was observed among medium-sized enterprises (50-249 persons in paid employment) – 63.1% or 480 enterprises – and the highest share was observed among large enterprises (more than 250 persons in paid employment) – 87.2% or 143 enterprises.

The share of innovation active enterprises in manufacturing higher than in the service sector

Enterprises in manufacturing were at the forefront of innovation activity with almost 50% share of innovation active enterprises, whereas in selected services just over 42% of all observed enterprises were innovation active.