8104.0 - Research and Experimental Development, Businesses, Australia, 2008-09 Quality Declaration 
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 23/09/2010   
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NOTES


INTRODUCTION

This release presents summary statistics on Research and Experimental Development (R&D) undertaken by Australian businesses during the financial year ended 30 June 2009.

Users should refer to the Explanatory and Technical Notes for further contextual information when interpreting these results.


ADDITIONAL DATA

More detailed data, including time series data, are available in spreadsheet format (data cubes) on the ABS website <www.abs.gov.au>. See the Downloads page for this issue (cat. no. 8104.0).


DATA QUALITY

When interpreting the results in this release it is important to take into account factors that may affect the reliability of estimates. These factors are described in the Non-sampling error section of the Technical Note.

This release includes revised data for the 2006-07 and 2007-08 reference periods. Refer to the Revisions section of the Technical Note for details.


INQUIRIES

For further information about these and related statistics, contact the National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070 or Fiona Manson on Perth (08) 9360 5213.


SUMMARY COMMENTARY


BUSINESS RESOURCES DEVOTED TO RESEARCH AND EXPERIMENTAL DEVELOPMENT (R&D)

During 2008-09, expenditure on R&D by Australian businesses was $16,858 million. Business expenditure on R&D (BERD) increased by 13% in current price terms and 9% in chain volume terms from 2007-08.

Business human resources devoted to R&D in 2008-09 totalled 53,556 person years of effort (PYE), an increase of 5% from 2007-08.

Business resources devoted to R&D
2004-05
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09
Expenditure on R&D
Current prices
Value $m
8 676
10 434
r12 639
r14 907
16 858
Dollar change $m
907
1 758
2 205
2 268
1 951
Percentage change %
12
20
21
18
13
Chain volume measures(a)
Value $m
9 665
11 132
13 444
15 467
16 858
Dollar change $m
703
1 467
2 312
2 024
1 391
Percentage change %
8
15
21
15
9

Human resources devoted to R&D
Value PYE
40 458
43 686
r46 462
r50 863
53 556
PYE change PYE
3 028
3 228
2 776
4 401
2 693
Percentage change %
8
8
6
9
5
r revised
(a) The reference year for chain volume measures is 2008-09. See Explanatory Notes 30 and 31 for details.


Subsequent expenditure figures and supporting commentary relate to current price terms.


BERD and gross domestic product (GDP)

BERD as a proportion of GDP increased between 2007-08 and 2008-09, moving from 1.26% to 1.34%.

BERD, as a proportion of GDP(a)
Graph: BERD, as a proportion of GDP(a)



The following table shows BERD/GDP ratios for Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries. Although Australia's BERD/GDP ratio for 2008-09 remained below the Total OECD ratio of 1.63%, its growth from 2007-08 (0.08 percentage points) was greater than the growth in the Total OECD ratio (0.05 percentage points).

BERD/GDP RATIOS OF OECD COUNTRIES(a)(b)(c)
2004-05
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09
%
%
%
%
%
Sweden
2.67
2.62
2.79
2.66
2.78
Finland
2.42
2.47
2.46
2.51
2.77
Japan
2.38
2.54
2.63
2.68
2.69
Korea
2.06
2.15
2.33
2.45
2.54
Switzerland
2.14
na
na
na
2.21
United States of America
1.76
1.80
1.86
1.92
2.01
Denmark
1.69
1.68
1.66
1.78
1.91
Austria
1.53
1.71
1.74
1.79
1.89
Germany
1.74
1.72
1.77
1.77
1.85
Iceland
na
1.43
1.59
1.47
1.45
Australia
0.94
1.04
1.16
1.26
1.34
Luxembourg
1.43
1.35
1.42
1.32
1.32
Belgium
1.28
1.25
1.29
1.32
1.32
France
1.36
1.30
1.32
1.29
1.27
United Kingdom
1.06
1.06
1.08
1.15
1.10
Canada
1.18
1.15
1.11
1.04
1.00
Ireland
0.81
0.82
0.83
0.85
0.93
Czech Republic
0.78
0.89
1.01
0.95
0.91
Netherlands
1.03
1.01
1.01
0.97
0.89
Norway
0.87
0.82
0.82
0.88
0.87
Portugal
0.28
0.31
0.47
0.62
0.76
Spain
0.58
0.60
0.67
0.71
0.74
Italy
0.52
0.55
0.55
0.61
0.60
New Zealand
na
0.48
na
0.51
na
Hungary
0.36
0.41
0.48
0.49
0.53
Turkey
0.13
0.20
0.22
0.30
0.32
Slovak Republic
0.25
0.25
0.21
0.18
0.20
Mexico
0.17
0.19
0.19
0.18
na
Poland
0.16
0.18
0.18
0.17
0.19
Greece
0.17
0.18
0.18
0.16
na
Total OECD
1.47
1.50
1.55
1.58
1.63
na not available
(a) Except for Australia, the BERD/GDP ratios shown for OECD countries are sourced from Main Science and Technology Indicators, 2010/1, OECD. Ratios for Australia have been calculated using the most recent ABS values for BERD and GDP. See Explanatory Notes 28 and 29.
(b) BERD/GDP ratios for some countries are projected or estimated as per the OECD source table.
(c) Countries are ranked by the most recent available BERD/GDP ratio.