Research and Development Statistics (RDS)

The 2012 edition of Research and Development Statistics (RDS) released in  March, provides a wide range of recent data on the resources devoted to R&D in all OECD countries and selected non-member economies. The statistical series start from 1981 and cover the following fields:

A first set of tables deals with Gross Domestic Expenditure on Research and Experimental Development (GERD). This covers all R&D carried out on a national territory in the year concerned using various breakdowns. R&D expenditure data are expressed in million national currency, million current PPP$, and million constant $ (2005 prices and PPPs).

• Gross domestic expenditure on R&D by sector of performance and source of funds
• Gross domestic expenditure on R&D by sector of performance and type of cost
• Gross domestic expenditure on R&D expenditure by sector of performance and type of R&D
• Gross domestic expenditure on R&D by sector of performance and field of science
• Gross domestic expenditure on R&D by sector of performance and socio-economic objective (NABS 2007)

The second set covers resources devoted to R&D measured in labour terms, i.e. R&D personnel by sector of employment and various breakdowns.  R&D personnel data are expressed in full time equivalents on R&D (FTE) and in headcounts.

• R&D personnel by sector of employment and occupation
• R&D personnel by sector of employment and qualification
• R&D personnel by sector of employment and field of science

Datasets on R&D expenditure and personnel are also provided for R&D carried out in the Business Enterprise Sector with detailed data by industry or size class. Additionally R&D in the Higher Education and Private Non Profit sectors are also available with detailed data by field of science or type of costs.

• Business enterprise R&D expenditure by industry (ISIC rev.3)
• Business enterprise R&D expenditure by industry and source of funds
• Business enterprise R&D expenditure by industry and type of costs
• Business enterprise R&D expenditure by size class and source of funds
• Business enterprise R&D personnel by industry (ISIC rev.3)
• Other National R&D expenditure on R&D by field of science and source of funds
• Other National R&D expenditure on R&D by field of science and type of costs

The R&D expenditure and personnel tables are based on retrospective surveys of the units carrying out the R&D, though national estimates and forecasts have been included when available. More up to date information on government intentions or objectives when committing money to R&D can be derived from budgets. These data are shown in the Government budget appropriations or outlays for RD (GBAORD) table, which includes the breakdown of government R&D budgets by socio economic objective.

The electronic data product, OECD Science, Technology and R&D Statistics, combines Research and Development Statistics with the latest edition of Main Science and Technology Indicators.

The OECD R&D and GBAORD Sources and Methods databases contain metadata, relating to the series presented in Main Science and Technology Indicators and Research and Development Statistics and are available at: http://webnet.oecd.org/rd_gbaord_metadata/default.aspx

OECD Science, Technology and R&D Statistics is also available online to subscribing institutions at OECDiLibrary.