Most research aimed at identifying factors stimulating innovation activity at the regional level poorly takes into account the fact that the importance of various factors may differ in regions with different degrees of urbanization. Moreover, there is still few comprehensive empirical studies identifying innovation systems as regional 'ecosystems', which significantly expands the set of potential factors influencing innovation activity. In the present study, we address this research gap on the example of Polish NUTS 3 regions. Using econometric models of panel data we analyse regional innovation ecosystems from the perspective of quintuple helix components. It was proven that the impact of the various elements depends on the urbanization degree. One of the findings is that, while the science sector turned out to be one of the most important for urban regions and social capital is key for rural areas, the road infrastructure appears to be important for intermediate regions. The results obtained may constitute the basis for differentiation of policies addressed to selected, more or less urbanised areas, not only in terms of factors reflecting the enterprises directly but also in such aspects as science, administration, territorial conditions, natural environment and other elements of the enterprise environment.

The literature emphasises the role of regional and local innovation environment. Regional Innovation Systems show differences in innovation outputs determined by different inputs. Understanding these relationships can have important implications for regional and innovation policy. The research aims to classify Regional Innovation Systems in Poland according to their innovation capacity and performance. The analysis covers 72 subregions (classified as NUTS 3 in the Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics) in 2004–2016. Classes of Regional Innovation Systems in Poland were identified based on a combination of linear and functional approaches and data from published and unpublished sources. It was assumed that innovation systems in Poland differ due to their location in metropolitan and non-metropolitan regions, thus, the Eurostat NUTS 3 metro/non-metro typology was applied for this purpose. Panel data regressions as models with individual random effects were estimated separately for metropolitan and non-metropolitan groups of subregions. The study identified common determinants of innovation outputs in both NUTS 3 types: share of innovative industrial enterprises, industry share, unemployment rate, and employment in research and development. Next, NUTS 3 were classified within each of two analysed types in line with output- and input-indices, the latter being calculated as non-weighted average of significant inputs. Last, the subregions were clustered based on individual inputs to enable a more detailed assessment of their innovation potential. The cluster analysis using k-means method with maximum cluster distance was applied. The results showed that the composition of the classes identified within metropolitan and non-metropolitan systems in 2004– 2016 remains unstable, similarly to the composition of clusters identified by inputs. The latter confirms the changes in components of the capacity within both Regional Innovation System types. The observed situation allows us to assume that Regional Innovation Systems in Poland are evolving. In further research, the efficiency of Regional Innovation Systems should be assessed, taking into account the differences between metropolitan and non-metropolitan regions as well as other environmental factors that may determine the efficiency of innovative processes.

This research investigates the impact of R&D and innovation (R&D&I) subsidies on the innovative inputs and outputs of Polish manufacturing companies. We combine unique survey data that incorporates a representative sample of Polish manufacturing companies with data on the state aid from the State Aid Data Sharing System (SUDOP). Our results confirm the positive role of R&D&I subsidies on the likelihood of applying for a patent, filing for intellectual property protection for utility models, industrial designs, trademark registrations, and the introduction of process innovations, consistent with the existing literature. However, the results also indicate an insignificant impact of the intervention on firms’ R&D expenditures and product innovations. The extension of the analysis with the moderating effects of internal factors that affect the firms’ innovative behavior indicates that the R&D&I subsidies for exporters lead to the crowding-out effect and for non-exporters generate additional R&D expenditures and increase the propensity for R&D cooperation. Furthermore, R&D&I support for enterprises with foreign ownership reduces their propensity for patent applications and product innovations. In contrast, for beneficiaries with a predominance of domestic capital, it positively impacts many output variables.

Publiczne wsparcie przedsiębiorstw w formie dotacji, ulg podatkowych, czy też gwarancji podejmowane jest w celu oddziaływania na ich decyzje dotyczące np. wejścia na rynek, lokalizacji ich działalności, działalności badawczo-rozwojowej, wielkości produkcji i zatrudnienia. Ukierunkowanie interwencji na zawodności rynku ma istotne znaczenie dla jej efektywności, a potencjalne ograniczenia konkurencji i handlu związane ze wsparciem stanowią uzasadnienie kontroli pomocy państwa w Unii Europejskiej. Celem artykułu jest charakterystyka ekonomicznych aspektów regionalnej pomocy państwa w Unii Europejskiej. Analiza ta przybliża zarówno ekonomiczne uzasadnienie tego rodzaju interwencji, jak i ocenę jej dotychczasowych efektów.

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