How innovative are enterprises in Georgia?

The survey shows that 98.6% of enterprises in Georgia had access to the internet by January 1, 2018. Photo: N. Alavidze/Agenda.ge.

Agenda.ge, 30 Nov 2018 - 18:21, Tbilisi,Georgia

13.3% of enterprises in Georgia introduced new or significantly improved goods on the market, while the share of enterprises that introduced new or significantly improved service in 2017 was 14%.

This is the main finding of a survey conducted by the National Statistics Office of Georgia (Geostat), whose purpose was to study opportunities in the business sector regarding  innovation activities in the country. 

The survey reveals that innovations in goods and services in most cases were originally developed by enterprises themselves (accordingly 54.3% and 41%).

In other cases they received support from other enterprises or institutions. 42.1% of implemented innovations were new to enterprises, while 57,9% were new to the market.

The acquisition of machinery, equipment and software (19.5%) has a relatively higher share of enterprise involvement in innovation activities.

Design (14.6%), trainings for innovation activities (14.4%) and in-house research and development (12.9%) also have high share.

29.2% of enterprises developed a new system of pricing goods or services, 27.7% made significant changes in aesthetic design and packaging of products, and 23.4% provided new media and techniques for product promotion, says Geostat.

Use of information-communication technologies in enterprises

The survey shows that 98.6% of enterprises in Georgia had access to the internet by January 1, 2018.

By January 1, 2018, 44,4% of employees of enterprises used portable computers or smartphones provided by the enterprise that allowed for an internet connection (for business use only), while the share of enterprises using a web-page or web-site was 40.3%.

Enterprises mostly used social media such as social networks (Facebook, LinkedIn etc.) – 38.5%, while 51.5% of enterprises did not use any social media.

Developing the enterprise’s image or market products (24.4%) and obtaining or responding to customer opinions, reviews and questions (22.5%) were the main reasons for social media use.