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the concept. Conceptual layer is common and overlaps with such terms as innovation,
human capital, and creativity. In this work only essential differences between concepts will
be cited, broader analysis may be found in the literature (Hippel, 2004).
The innovative potential can be regarded as the input value for the innovation process,
which results in innovation (of any kind: product, service, process etc.); thereby it is one
step ahead of the concept of innovation also called innovative activity. In his work, R.I.
Zalewski writes about innovation activity by presenting it as certain steps (in the fields of
science, technology, organization) which intention is to implement the innovation. He
recognizes that part of the innovative actions that directly creates innovation, while others
do so indirectly. He stresses that both types are a necessary condition for the application of
innovation. Innovation in scope covers R&D, which, however, alone they are not associated
with the development of any specific innovation (Zalewski, 2009). When it comes to
creativity, it is a concept narrower than the innovation potential. Although, of course, a
category of “creativity” could be included into the concept of innovative potential, it seems
to be better to split this concept into its constituent parts such as imagination or
perceptivity. On the other hand, the concept of human capital is broader and it includes the
innovative potential.
Different definitions of innovation potential can be found in the literature, often the ones
that are not directly related to human potential like „I understand the innovation potential
as an ability to produce, diffusion and consumption of innovation by individuals” (Guzik,
2004); or equate the impact of innovation potential to environmental influences:
„innovative potential is considered to be the existence of a suitable, characteristic
innovation environment. It is an environment in which innovations are created, developed
and implemented” (Zizlavsky, 2011). In this work, however, it is more important to explore
the notion of innovation potential in terms of people (employees), for example, „the
innovation potential consists of intelligence and understanding, knowledge, motivation,
habits, personality and emotions” (Patterson, Kerrin, Zibarras, 2012). According to the
author, a much broader definition of innovation potential is inappropriate, because it may
include into the analysis some factors, which ultimately have little impact on innovation. In
addition, indicators related to the innovation potential, which are based on such a broad
definition (The Innovation Potential Indicator (Patterson, 2001) or Team Selection Inventory
(Burch, Pavelis, and Port, 2008) and which are psychometric texts, are difficult to be quickly
implemented and do not always give accurate results. For this reason introducing a separate
definition of innovation potential, which, in the course of further research, could be
discussed and considered as appropriate.
In this article, the term innovation potential means possession and the ability to use the
band factors related to knowledge, skills and character traits, which favour the formation of
innovation. Such a definition best corresponds to the area of this research.
It is interesting to point out the author's intention in entering different methods of
management of men and women. Such approach is widely known as diversity management
and constitutes an important trend in the modern approach to management sciences. The
basis is to accept the existing differences and to treat them as business development
potential. A look at the business through diversity is not accidental, and it results from
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