The Impact of the Internet on User-Driven Innovation Usage in R&D Departments: A Case Study of Poland

Purpose: The aim of this article is to define the dependencies that occur between the use of the Internet and the effects of innovative activities, the use of the concept of User-driven innovation, as well as features related to the marketing orientation of enterprises. Methodology: First, research was conducted on a group of 57 R&D departments of Polish enterprises that cooperate with users of their products and services in the field of innovation, and thus use the concepts of user-oriented innovation. Then, the Spearman's rank correlation coefficient was used to investigate the degree of correlation. The determined correlation coefficients were analyzed based on the Guilford classification. Findings: There is a weak correlation between the use of the Internet and the introduction by a company of a new or improved product or technological process. The use of the Internet in the activities of enterprises is of greatest importance when communicating with many product users to obtain knowledge and opinions about the product. Practical Implications: Research results identify the interdependencies between internet use and activity. It was found that in the set of 72 out of 14 variables, the use of the Internet in the surveyed enterprises has a large impact. They include, among others, novelty on the enterprise scale, technological innovations, a positive impact on the brand image, therefore, the results can be adopted by the appropriate enterprises. Originality/value: The added value of the article is the identification of key areas of innovative activity of enterprises that are most influenced by the Internet.