UNDERSTANDING THE CURRENT STATUS OF INNOVATION MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN KOSOVO FIRMS
UNDERSTANDING THE CURRENT STATUS OF INNOVATION MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN KOSOVO FIRMS

Summary/Abstract: This study is focused on identifying the current status of innovation management practices in Kosovo firms. The significance of this study relies upon the weight that innovation has in economic growth and job creation in developed and less developed countries. In this study a mixed methodology is utilized in order to provide a more comprehensive view on the topic under research. Findings derived from data analysis are compared and contrasted with the current state of knowledge. Findings indicate that managers associate innovation with ideas and consider innovation as a permanent and systematic process and management with implementation or generation of new services and products. Additionally, managers consider resources as an integrative part in partaking in the innovation management process, which is highly supported by the literature. Findings also show that Kosovo firms are moderately innovative in terms of frequency of innovations and the most common type of innovation is process innovation, followed by new services and product innovation. One neglected form of innovation found is business model innovation. Many authors consider business model innovation as essential in cultivating a culture of innovation. Regarding the organizational structure, hierarchical structures are impacting innovation positively in Kosovo firms although the literature doesn’t support this finding. The majority of Kosovo firms have developed incremental innovations and only a quarter have engaged in radical innovations. The contribution of this research is in providing a base on innovation management practices in Kosovo firms. Conclusively, this is a unique contribution for Kosovar academics and practitioners.

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