Abstract:

The aim of this article is to analyse approaches to the innovation process of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the Czech Republic. It is precisely the choice of a suitable approach to the innovation process, which influences its implementation, the development of the process and the reaction to possible changes. In order to verify the established hypotheses, the data obtained from the questionnaire survey dealing with SME approach to innovation, was used. From the data obtained, it has been demonstrated that the strategic and systematic approach to the innovation process is growing with the enterprise size within the SME segment. Agile approaches to the innovation process are also used in many businesses, but their extent does not increase with the size of the enterprise, therefore they do not depend on the number of employees and the annual turnover of the enterprise.