INNOVATIONS IN POLISH ENTERPRISES IN CRISIS CONDITIONS

Purpose: It is widely acknowledged that innovation is key to increasing company productivity.In times of pandemic crisis, the severe economic situation caused by COVID-19 has led to an increased focus by companies on innovations, particularly in processes and organizational structures.The topic of innovation in enterprises during crises is extremely important, as it makes entrepreneurs aware of the significance of utilizing innovation, especially in times such as the COVID-19 crisis.Due to the pandemic, innovative solutions and new ways of organizing work and management have been implemented in enterprises, all of which have been influenced by mass redundancies and forced isolation.By introducing previously unknown solutions, companies hope to survive in the market under crisis conditions.The aim of this study is to demonstrate the importance of introducing and implementing innovative ideas and solutions in a company during times of crisis.It is assumed that during crises, companies intensify their process and organizational innovation activities.Design/methodology/approach: The purpose of this study was to analyze and evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the innovativeness of service sector enterprises in the Beskids Region.The study was conducted using a diagnostic survey method, with a survey questionnaire as the primary research tool.Findings: The collected empirical material confirms the established hypothesis that innovation is a key determinant of a company's success.In the surveyed service industry companies, innovative solutions were introduced, and new organizational techniques were implemented to minimize the impact of the pandemic. Research limitations/implications:The research is of a pilot nature.Its aim was to verify the planned research procedure, including the selection of surveyed enterprises and the research tools used.During the pilot study, not only the research procedure was tested but also the formulated questions and the responses given by the respondents.The pilot study confirmed the significance of the investigated issue.A random selection of 10 service enterprises was made for the study.It is proposed to increase the number of the surveyed enterprises in the Beskids Region.Practical implications: It is recommended that research and development facilities be established in the surveyed enterprises and that qualified personnel be employed.This will enable the faster implementation of changes and innovative solutions in the future.Continuous observation and monitoring of crisis factors that may influence enterprise innovation are necessary.No foreign studies have been found in this area that would allow for a comparison of the applied solutions.Originality/value: A novel aspect of this paper is the identification and analysis of innovations implemented by enterprises under crisis conditions.In the surveyed service sector companies, innovative solutions were introduced, and new organizational techniques were applied to minimize the impact of the pandemic.In particular, this involved the adoption of new work organization methods.The implementation of concepts such as remote work and hybrid working had a positive impact on the functioning of enterprises.