The development of emerging economies determines the need to include innovation activities as the main factor at all levels of government. However, in practice, there is a disparity between the availability of innovative opportunities and their real implementation. It is caused by the lack of comprehensive research and conceptual approaches to the mechanisms for innovative potential formation and development. The purpose of the paper is to identify and describe the features that form the structure of ‘innovative receptivity’ concept in the economy. The study used methods of component, comparative and contextual analysis. As a result of the research, the definition of ‘innovative receptivity’ is given. It is an economic concept that characterizes the ability of an organization and a person to perceive innovations, the ability to create and apply pioneering technological innovations, and the willingness of an organization to implement and reproduce an innovation for the first time. This definition characterizes the essential features of the concept.