Opportunities for innovation activity of enterprises from the dairy sector in the food industry

Department of Economics, Entrepreneurship and Management, University of Food Technology, Plovdiv, Bulgaria

^* Corresponding author: i_bichurova@uft-plovdiv.bg

Abstract

Dairy processing enterprises in Bulgaria are faced with the need to implement modern equipment and technological updates in order to guarantee the quality and control of the manufactured products. The investment policy should be aimed at expanding the assortment range, competitiveness and entry into new markets. The paper analyzes the results of a research of innovation activity in dairy enterprises. The new economic situation requires companies to generate and absorb increasingly competitive innovations, to maintain and develop high innovation activity. This is becoming an increasingly important condition for their effective functioning and survival. All enterprises have a positive attitude towards innovative behavior, which is a necessary but not sufficient condition for carrying out innovative activity and achieving the relevant results. In any organization, it is necessary to provide conditions for the introduction of innovations, therefore it must have such a structure and processes that assume and implement appropriate innovative behavior. Management principles are the basis for making decisions to stimulate or inhibit innovation activity in enterprises. In this regard, export intensity, R&D expenditures and patent activity are leading in innovation processes.