INNOVATIVE ENVIRONMENT AS A PART OF THE RESEARCH POTENTIAL OF THE CZECH REGIONS

The aim of this article is to build on the previous research introducing the research potential of regions of the Czech Republic using six indicators (R & D departments, researchers, R & D expenditures, patents, selected projects of the Operational Programme Research and Development for Innovation and projects under the 7th Framework Programme). Previous research is extended by the indicators, related to the enterprise innovation activities funding from the Operational Programme Enterprise and Innovation and to the number of science and technology parks, representing an important component of the innovations infrastructure. The main method used in the article is analysis of the allocated grants in the selected priority axes of the aforementioned program, and the number of science and technology parks. Then is used subsequent synthesis into one common indicator which is a combination of previously collected data. It is self-evident, that the data comparison method needed to be used as well. The outcomes of this research only confirmed the previous research conclusions: dominance of the South Moravian and Central Bohemian Region and significant lagging of Karlovy Vary and Usti nad Labem Region. The only significant change was recorded in the Zlin Region, where two new selected indicators are dominant and thus helped the region to reach the hypothetical third position.