8101.0 - Innovation and Technology Update (Newsletter), Dec 2005  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 21/12/2005   
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3 RESEARCH & EXPERIMENTAL DEVELOPMENT (R&D) STATISTICS

3.1 Business R&D Survey 2003-04
3.2 Biotechnology Related R&D
3.3 Government and private non-profit R&D surveys 2004-05
3.4 Higher Education R&D survey 2004
3.5 International standards

3.1 Business R&D survey 2003-04

The results of Research and Experimental Development Businesses, Australia 2003-04, (ABS cat. no. 8104.0) were published on 28 September 2005. The publication includes details of R&D expenditure and human resources devoted to R&D classified by type of expenditure, location of expenditure, source of funds, type of employee, type of activity, research fields and socioeconomic objectives.

Findings include:

  • Business expenditure on R&D (BERD) in Australia in 2003-04 was estimated to be $7,220m at current prices, 10% higher than that recorded in 2002-03. This is the highest level recorded and is the fourth successive year of increase following the declines from 1995-96 to 1998-99 and the levelling off between 1998-99 and 1999-2000.
  • The Manufacturing industry was the largest contributor (46%) to total BERD. The Property and business services, Mining and Finance and insurance industries were the next largest contributors to BERD at 23%, 11% and 9% respectively. Commentary focuses on the six largest industry divisions, which together contribute 96% of BERD.

3.2 Biotechnology related R&D

The 2003-04 Business R&D survey also collected information specific to biotechnology related R&D. Businesses that performed and/or paid others to perform biotechnology related R&D (extramural) on their behalf, were asked additional questions. Extramural R&D is out of scope of BERD, hence the extramural portion of biotechnology related R&D expenditure reported in the publication is not a component of BERD.

Findings from the publication include:

  • In 2003-04, 304 businesses performed and/or paid another to perform biotechnology related R&D, totalling $377.8m in expenditure.
  • There was $270.8m (3.8% of BERD) of biotechnology related R&D expenditure, which was performed by 226 businesses. There were 155 businesses which paid $107.0m to others to perform biotechnology related R&D. Property and business services reported the highest number of biotechnology active businesses and the highest level of expenditure on both biotechnology related R&D performed by the business ($187.1m) and paid to another ($81.2m).
  • Most businesses classified their biotechnology related R&D to Human health, which represented $262.7m or 70% of total biotechnology related R&D expenditure. Agricultural biotechnology had the next highest expenditure of $43.4m or 11% of total biotechnology related R&D expenditure.

For further information about these and related statistics, contact Kirsty Rothenbury on Perth (08) 9360 5382, or email kirsty.rothenbury@abs.gov.au. 3.3 Government and private non-profit R&D surveys 2004-05

The biennial survey of Government and Private Non-Profit organisations will be undertaken for the 2004-05 reference period. Similar information to that collected in the Business survey will be sought. Specific information on the Biotechnology sector will also be collected, similar to that collected in the 2003-04 Business survey.

Summary statistics will be contained in the publication Research and Experimental Development, Government and Private Non-Profit Organisations, Australia 2004-05 (ABS cat. no. 8109.0) which is expected to be released in August 2006.

3.4 Higher Education R&D survey 2004

The biennial survey of Higher Education organisations in respect of the 2004 calendar year will be published in Research and Experimental Development, Higher Education Organisations 2004 (cat. no 8111.0) which is expected to be released in July 2006.

3.5 International standards

The ABS surveys of R&D are conducted in accordance with standard guidelines promulgated by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and contained in the OECD publication, The Measurement of Scientific and Technological Activities ('Frascati Manual' 2002), available as a free PDF file by visiting http://www.oecd.org.