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GLOSSARY


Innovation

An innovation is the introduction of a new or significantly improved good or service; operational process; organisational/managerial process; or marketing method.

Innovative activity

Innovative activity includes any work that was intended to, or did, result in the introduction of an innovation.

Measures of business innovation

Two measures of business innovation are included in this release:

• Innovating businesses - businesses that introduced any type of innovation during the reference period.
• Innovation-active businesses - businesses that had undertaken any innovative activity during the reference period including: introduction of any type of innovation; and/or the development or introduction either still in progress or abandoned.

• Introduced - the business successfully introduced an innovation during the reference period (although the innovation does not need to have been commercially successful).
• Still in development - the business was in the process of developing or introducing an innovation during the reference period but work on the innovation was still in progress at the end of the period.
• Abandoned - the business abandoned the development and/or introduction of an innovation during the reference period (i.e. work on the innovation ceased without full introduction occurring).

• Goods or services - Any good or service or combination of these that is new to a business (or significantly improved). Its characteristics or intended uses differ significantly from those previously produced/offered.
• Operational processes - New or significantly improved methods of producing or delivering goods or services of a business (including significant change in techniques, equipment and/or software).
• Organisational/managerial processes - New or significantly improved strategies, structures or routines of a business which aim to improve performance.
• Marketing methods - New or significantly improved design, packaging or sales methods aimed to increase the appeal of goods or services of a business or to enter new markets.