Barriers to innovative activity of enterprises in the sustain development in times of crisis

In today's modern economy, and according to the growing economic, social, and environmental challenges, it is becoming more and more important for organizations to strive towards sustainable development. Any innovation is related to the sustainable development of an organization, and these innovations concern changes in the management, technological, and ecological activities. There are some specific and significant barriers that can have an impact on innovation, and in consequence, on the sustainable development of an organization. Especially in the recent crisis caused by the Covid19 pandemic and currently hostilities in Ukraine.

In the article the Author attempted to answer three research questions: What are the main barriers to implementing innovation in researched companies? Do the innovations affect the sustainable development of these organizations? Have the recent years of the pandemic strengthened the barriers to innovation? The aim of the article is to present examples of barriers to innovation in interviewed companies (identification and classification of barriers). For this purpose, the Author conducted relevant literature reviews, inductive and deducting reasoning and 12 in-depth interviews (IDI).

On the basis of the conducted research, the barriers to innovative activity indicated by owners/managers were divided into external and internal. Within internal barriers, there were distinguished mainly organizational, human resources and financial barriers. Among external barrier ware identified barriers concerning legal barriers, cost and financial as well as market barriers.

Is seems to be significant to analyze and identify barriers to innovative activity in the sustainable development especially in connection with crisis situations caused by the pandemic and the war in Ukraine. This article can fill the gap in this field and lead to further theoretical and empirical research. The results of the study may be useful to other researchers as well as executives in the studied organization and other public sector institutions.