Innovativeness of the Polish industry in the context of changes in the spatial differentiation of innovativeness in new EU member states

The paper addresses the issue of spatial differentiation in the level of industrial innovativeness in new EU member states from 2008 to 2017, with a particular focus on Poland. The purpose of the study is to attempt to describe changes in the spatial patterns of innovativeness in new EU member states (so-called EU13) and to indicate the position of Poland against the EU13 by using simple vector calculus. The period of analysis resulted from the availability of data. The paper presents matters related to the innovative activities of industrial enterprises and research and development (R&D) in Poland and other new EU member states. Selected features of innovativeness are shown as a relationship between expenditure and effect. The research confirms that the spatial pattern of industrial innovativeness in the EU13 significantly varies spatially between states. It is noteworthy that in the analysed period, the level of innovativeness in the Polish economy was relatively low compared to all EU countries as well as among the EU13. Moreover, the high growth figures obtained by Poland in most of the analysed features related to industrial innovativeness deserve to be emphasised. In 2008–2017 spatial differences in expenditure on R&D in the sector of industrial enterprises as well as their effects were highly stable.