Abstract

The analysis of essence of innovations and innovative activities, the role of the innovation process in the development of the world economy is performed. The article examines the sources of the innovation process, different systems of indicators of innovative activity, the role of patent law in the redistribution of income in favor of the developed countries and the increasing polarization of the economic development, peculiarities of the national innovation system. The factors that encourage and discourage the national innovation process are identified and analyzed The main incentives for the development of innovative activities in the world are factors of the globalization process, and the sources of the factors hindering the development and innovative activities are various forces that defend national interests.