The OECD defines R&D to comprise creative work undertaken on a systematic basis in order to increase the stock of knowledge, including knowledge of people, culture and society, and the use of this stock of knowledge to devise new applications.
Statistics on the amount of expenditure and human resources devoted to R&D in the business sector are collected annually. Comparable statistics on the higher education, government and private non-profit sectors are collected biennially. Tables 25.1 and 25.2 summarise the latest statistics available.
25.1 EXPENDITURE ON R&D, By Sector |
|
Sector | 1994-95
$m | 1995-96
$m | 1996-97
$m | 1997-98
$m | 1998-99
$m | 1999-2000
$m |
|
Business | 3,508.3 | 4,356.6 | 4,237.2 | 4,219.1 | 4,067.6 | 4,045.3 |
Government - | | | | | | |
- Commonwealth | 1,193.3 | n.a. | 1,264.2 | n.a. | 1,192.6 | n.a. |
- State | 782.8 | n.a. | 812.7 | n.a. | 879.0 | n.a. |
- Total | 1,976.0 | n.a. | 2,076.9 | n.a. | 2,071.6 | n.a. |
Higher education(a) | 1,829.6 | 2,039.1 | 2,307.6 | n.a. | 2,602.7 | n.a. |
Private non-profit | 152.7 | n.a. | 173.4 | n.a. | 183.9 | n.a. |
Total | 7,466.6 | n.a. | 8,795.1 | n.a. | 8,925.8 | n.a. |
|
(a) Data for the calendar year ending within the financial year shown. |
Source: Research and Experimental Development, Businesses, Australia (8104.0); Research and Experimental Development, Higher Education Organisations, Australia (8111.0); Research and Experimental Development, All Sector Summary, Australia (8112.0). |
25.2 HUMAN RESOURCES DEVOTED TO R&D, By Sector |
|
Sector | 1994-95
’000 person
years | 1995-96
’000 person
years | 1996-97
’000 person
years | 1997-98
’000 person
years | 1998-99
’000 person
years | 1999-2000
’000 person
years |
|
Business | 25.8 | 27.1 | 26.4 | 24.8 | 25.0 | 26.1 |
Government - | | | | | | |
- Commonwealth | 10.7 | n.a. | 10.3 | n.a. | 9.4 | n.a. |
- State | 8.6 | n.a. | 9.0 | n.a. | 9.5 | n.a. |
- Total | 19.3 | n.a. | 19.4 | n.a. | 18.9 | n.a. |
Higher education(a) | 40.1 | n.a. | 42.7 | n.a. | 45.5 | n.a. |
Private non-profit | 1.7 | n.a. | 2.2 | n.a. | 2.1 | n.a. |
Total | 87.0 | n.a. | 90.7 | n.a. | 91.5 | n.a. |
|
(a) Data for the calendar year ending within the financial year shown. |
Source: Research and Experimental Development, Businesses, Australia (8104.0); Research and Experimental Development, All Sector Summary, Australia (8112.0). |