It is becoming increasingly clear that factors relating to technological research and development processes, especially in terms of their influence upon innovation in the business sphere, are, together and in parallel with human resources, the key success factors to ensuring the competitiveness and competitive positioning generally of the sectors and companies.

The setting up of a suitable framework to promote the awareness of this reality among our companies, to generalise an innovative attitude among them and provide mechanisms that allow them to approach their management from this perspective, is a concern and a priority that has been expressed by the leaders of the Andalusian authorities, in general, and those of the Social Economy, in particular.

The adoption of a proper business innovation policy by social economy companies will make it possible to:

• Adapt these companies to the technical and commercial conditions imposed by the Internal European Market.
• Overcome the size limitations of these companies, which make it difficult to generate economies of the necessary scale to incorporate competitiveness factors.
• Adapt these companies for their integration into the Information Society.
• Overcome the difficulties of financing of both new business projects and projects to expand, innovate and modernise the productive structures of existing businesses.

Consequently, the competitiveness and skills of these companies will be improved, so they can consolidate themselves and grow against the changing and turbulent environment in which they will have to develop their activity in the new century.

Along the same lines, the consolidation of these companies requires the introduction of competitive programmes for innovation in products and productive processes, as well as the incorporation of new technologies, which will form the basis for the business development of emerging markets and new business activities.

It cannot be overlooked that the development of these companies requires, additionally, the incorporation of competitiveness factors linked to quality, as well as the development of information systems and suitable levels of employee training.

On the other hand, we know that the competitive battle obliges companies to diversify the range of products they offer towards products with the highest possible added value. To achieve this, mechanisms must be set up to attain a permanent process of innovation.

This attitude will have positive repercussions on the increase in the productivity and competitiveness of the companies, ensuring them a more solid and promising basis in the medium and long-term, which will generate stability in employment and social welfare.