NETWORK INTERCONNECTIONS AS A DRIVER OF INNOVATIVENESS IN MEAT INDUSTRY COMPANIES

The article presents the outcomes of survey research conducted among meat industry companies located in the Wielkopolska Voivodeship. The aim of the research was to diagnose the innovativeness in these companies and to identify its determinants and particularly - the significance of network interconnections. It was concluded on the basis of the research that the majority of companies did not participate in modern network inter- connections. This is caused by a number of factors, both on the part of the companies and on the part of other subjects - potential network participants. It mainly results from not noticing the scale of advantages resulting from network interconnections and insufficient knowledge in this area. Although companies remain open to cooperation with the science sector and other institutions dealing with the transfer of knowledge, they do not take actions aimed to initiate it.