Openness to Innovations, as an Indication of Young People’s Entrepreneurship on the Example of Students from Krakow

Abstract

Innovation, as one of the essential characteristics of the entrepreneurial person is manifested e.g. by readiness to receive and take on new, non-routine and pioneering actions. The simplest reflection of human attitude to innovation may be the level of openness to emerging product innovations on the market. This is compatible with user-driven innovation conception. Authors of the paper have attempted to diagnose the occurrence of openness on innovation among young people-students, as one of the manifestations of entrepreneurship. Obtained research results showed a high level of openness to product innovation among students of universities in Kraków. Young people being conscious consumers in terms of choosing goods of appropriate quality and price are at the same time enterprising persons.  They are open-minded in their decisions, willing to work with entrepreneurs for appropriate remuneration. Perhaps they are not clients enough aware of the role played in the chain of innovation implementation on the market, as evidenced by the low level of their contacts with manufacturers, even in relation to the number of submitted complaints. Perhaps producers also do not perceive young people as potential innovators. However, these young people are aware of their expectations from innovative products, which in their point of view should be, above all, cheap, practical, high-quality and original. Certainly producers should be reckoned with their opinion.