Rozwój innowacyjności i konkurencyjności małych i średnich przedsiębiorstw w województwie łódzkim przy wsparciu środków regionalnego programu operacyjnego województwa łódzkiego na lata 2007-2013

The objective of the paper is to present the results of pilot study carried out in July 2011 among 180 small and medium-sized enterprises who were beneficiaries of Measure III.2 Raising innovativeness and competitiveness of enterprises of the Regional Operational Programme for the Lodz Region for the years 2007-2013. Preliminary results show a significantly positive impact of investment subsidies on innovativeness and competitiveness of the enterprises. The described study aims to contribute to following more detailed research based on a larger sample of companies that were beneficiaries of Measure III.2, which the Authors intend to take. Its effect will consist in determination and evaluation of the actual effects of support (the so called net effect) separated from the effects of other factors.