Innovation profile and competitiveness of Russian enterprises: on the issue of knowledge-driven performance in business

This paper presents the outline of research devoted to the managerial aspects of the firm acting in the conditions of complicated interdependence where economic and social knowledge is supplied as well as produced by the organization. The research questions include the following: how ready are the companies to progress from traditional business approach to the innovation models; what factors motivate enterprises’ smart growth; how stakeholder wealth is created by transforming new and existing knowledge into advanced products/services/solutions. The research looks at the Russian achievements relating to the identification of knowledge-oriented enterprises and international experience to recognize the levels of business knowledge performance. The problem of developing the criteria system for impartial assessment of innovation activity is discussed. The example of MAKE programme is used as its indicators provide the basis for benchmarking in the practice of companies’ intellectual focus.