Abstract:

Today, there is no doubt about the importance of innovation as the basis for high-quality and stable economic growth. Innovation activity is the practical implementation of the innovation process. It involves the implementation of a whole range of scientific and technical, design and technological, organizational, financial and commercial activities, which together lead to the creation of innovations and their commercialization. The most important factor shaping the environment for the development of innovative activity is the innovation infrastructure. Therefore, it is the innovation infrastructure that is the key catalyst for the innovative development of economic systems at different levels. The article deals with the theoretical aspects of innovation research. The content of the main categories: innovation, innovation process, innovation activity, innovation infrastructure. The stages of the innovation process, as well as its main evolutionary forms are given. The main conditions initiating innovative activity are defined. These include the availability of an effective innovation infrastructure.