STRATEGIC PARAMETERS OF THE INNOVATIVE DEVELOPMENT OF SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED ENTERPRISES IN UKRAINE IN THE CONTEXT OF POST-WAR ECONOMIC RECOVERY
Abstract
The article substantiates strategic parameters for the innovative development of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Ukraine in the context of post-war economic recovery. The research is based on an empirical assessment of SME innovation activity and aims to develop a coherent analytical framework linking firm-level innovation performance with structural modernization objectives of the national economy. The methodological approach combines statistical analysis, comparative assessment and structural-functional modeling using official data from the State Statistics Service of Ukraine for 2018–2022, collected in accordance with the Oslo Manual standards. The study evaluates the dynamics of the number and share of innovation-active SMEs, total innovation expenditures and innovation intensity calculated as expenditure per innovation-active enterprise. The results reveal a significant decline in the scale of SME innovation activity during the analyzed period, including a sharp reduction in the share of innovation-active enterprises and a contraction of aggregate innovation expenditures. At the same time, fluctuations in innovation intensity indicate a concentration of innovative efforts within a relatively narrow group of resource-capable firms. These findings confirm the structural vulnerability of the SME innovation base and the limited capacity for large-scale technological modernization under macroeconomic instability and war-related risks. On this basis, the article proposes a system of strategic parameters structured into institutional, financial, technological and human-capital dimensions. A conceptual model of strategic support for SME innovation is developed, integrating public policy instruments, financial mechanisms and firm-level capabilities. The proposed framework may be applied for monitoring innovation readiness, evaluating policy effectiveness and designing targeted modernization programs at national and regional levels. Strengthening institutional predictability, improving access to finance, accelerating digital transformation and enhancing competencies are identified as key conditions for innovation-driven recovery and long-term competitiveness.
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