Introduction

The target of this paper is the innovative performance of Greek firms in terms of the origins or sources of information (internal or external) that are perceived as having been important for enterprises to innovate during the period 2000 to 2003 was examined. We study where innovations are developed, whether they are exclusively developed within the enterprise, whether they come from co-operation agreements or whether they are developed externally by other enterprises or organisations. In the knowledge-driven economy, European Commission. (2004), management should strive to develop and attain a variety of objectives in all the areas where activity is critical to the operation and success of the management system.

The theoretical framework

Attempting to define the concepts of innovation and based on the “Oslo Manual”, OECD (1997) and the “Innovation Results of CIS III”, the main terms used are the following : I. Innovation. II. Product innovation. III. Process innovation. IV. Research and Development Activities (R & D). V. Invention. VI. Enterprises with innovation activity. VII. Enterprises without innovation activity. Technological innovation is vital for firm's competitive advantage. One of the features of the New Economy is that in the transformation process, the major input is intellectual property: knowledge, research, information and design (Nelson, R.R., 1993; OECD, 1999). These inputs have supplanted (in value) the material inputs required to build physical units. Therefore, there is no doubt that in ‘knowledge-based economy’ essential role plays the systematic application of the scientific knowledge to new product, process or service. The intellectual property and technology are the foundations of the economic development. In consequence, the term ‘knowledge-based economy’ founded on two aspects: a) knowledge and technology are the main drives of the economic growth and b) the high-technology sectors are the leading contributors to national output and employment (OECD, 1996).

Empirical Approach to Innovation Indicators: The Greek case

The innovation indexes are rather a new discipline in the Greek statistical system, when measuring industrial indexes. That is why only recent data can be provided and analyzed. We present the main figures we collected concerning the Greek industry, as far as innovation concerns. The statistical analysis of an analysis of innovation haw been extensively discussed by Kitsos et. Al. (2006).

Sectors	1994-1996	1996-1998	1998-2000	2002-2004
Manufacturing	16,9	18,4	26,4	35,1
Service	11,1	15,5	31,9	36,7
Total	-	-	27,3	35,8

Sources : GSRT, 2004 (CIS 3), GSRT, 2004 (CIS 4), Eurostat

Table 1 indicates that the innovative manufacturing enterprises represent the 16,9% in the first period (1994-96), the 18,4% in the second period (1996-98), the 26,4% in the third period (1998-00) and 35,1% in the fourth period (2002-2004). This provides evidents that there is a small improvement for the Greek industry, as far as competitiveness concern.

In Table 1 the share of innovative enterprises in the Greek service industry increased significantly from 11,1% in the first period to the 15,5% in the second period the 31,9% in the third period and 36,7% in the fourth period (2002-2004). That is service industry is performing much better than manufacturing industry.

Conclusions

For Greece, in the era of new millennium, the demand for technological innovations and industrial reengineering is mandatory. The imported innovations, patents, infrastructure, multinational enterprises which are complicated forms of applied foreign know- how, will play an important role for our economic growth. We emphasize the importance for the Greek companies of pursuing efforts to develop knowledge and developing information and communication technologies, new management techniques and manpower training to improve productivity. In innovation management, there is a wide range of innovation management techniques which should be adapted and implemented by the interesting business and academic partners (see Ηatzikian, John, 2007). The Greek enterprises and the National Innovation policy, in order to reach this aim, we propose the following typologies of innovation management techniques to be considered : knowledge management techniques, market intelligence techniques, cooperative and networking techniques, human resources management techniques, iinterface management techniques, creativity development techniques, process improvement techniques, innovation project management techniques, design management techniques and business creation techniques.

Selected bibliograrhy

European Commission. (2004) Innovation Results for the EU, Iceland and Norway, Data 1998-2001 (CIS III). Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities.

GSRT (2007). National Innovation Survey (CIS 4) in Greek Enterprises 2002-2004, Summary, Athens: GSRT - General Secretariat for Research and Technology - Ministry of Development, 2007.

GSRT (2004). National Innovation Survey (CIS 3) in Greek Enterprises 1998-2000, Athens: GSRT - General Secretariat for Research and Technology - Ministry of Development, 2004.

Ηatzikian, John (2007). Research and technological development policy and innovative performance : The Greek case within the EU, p.p. 229-250. In George M. Korres (Ed.). Economic Integration and Regional Growth. Springer Editions, Germany

Ηatzikian Y., and Prelorentzos A. (2005/2006). “Female Participation in Innovation Activities in Greece: A Statistical and Empirical Approach”. International Journal of Knowledge, Culture and Change Management Volume 5, Number 6 .

Kitsos, C. P., Hatzikian, J. (2005). Sequential techniques for innovation indexes, 16th ISPIM Annual Conference, Porto, Portugal, 19-22 June 2005.

Kitsos, C. P., Hatzikian, J., Korres, G, Hatzedema, S., Halkos, G. (2006). Women and Innovation in Greece. New Techologies, Athens (Greek).

Nelson, R. (1993), National Innovation Systems, Oxford UP, Oxford.

OECD (1996). The Knowledge-Based Economy. OECD, Paris. STI Outlook.

OECD (1997), Oslo Manual : The Measurement of Scientific and Technological Activities , OECD-EUROSTAT

OECD. (1999), Managing National Innovation Systems. Paris : OECD, 1999.

Patel, P and Pavitt, K (1994), “National Systems of Innovation : Why they are Important and How they might be measured and compared”, Economics of Innovation and New Technology, vol 3, 1994, pp.77-95.