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R&D expenditure of the business enterprise sector by subsector and company size

data publication
Science in Figures
16 December 2022
R&D Company research Innovation
How does R&D expenditure looks like in the business enterprise sector? In this data publication we show the distribution of R&D expenditure in the business enterprise sector by 1) different subsectors and 2) various size categories.

In short

  • The industry subsector performs the largest share of the R&D expenditure within the business sector.
  • Large business enterprises (250+ employees) are accountable for the largest contribution to R&D expenditure.
  • The breaks in the trend visible in 2011, 2012 and 2013 are caused by changes in the data collection.
Source: Statistics Netherlands
Notes: 2020 figures are preliminary. There are two trendbreaks, in 2011 and 2013. In both cases, the apparent rise in R&d-expenditure is caused by a change in the data collection. In 2011, businesses with less than ten employees were included in R&D-statistics. In 2019, Statistics Netherlands (CBS) has revised the Dutch R&D-statistics in coherence with international guidelines as presented in the Frascati manual. Figures have been adapted from 2013 onwards. The revision leads to a rise in R&D-expenditure of €1,7 billion, mainly in the business sector. For a further explanation of the changes, see our factsheet on the funding and performance of R&D in the Netherlands.
Source: Statistics Netherlands
Notes: 2020 figures are preliminary. There are two trendbreaks, in 2011 and 2013. In both cases, the apparent rise in R&d-expenditure is caused by a change in the data collection. In 2011, businesses with less than ten employees were included in R&D-statistics. In 2019, Statistics Netherlands (CBS) has revised the Dutch R&D-statistics in coherence with international guidelines as presented in the Frascati manual. Figures have been adapted from 2013 onwards. The revision leads to a rise in R&D-expenditure of €1,7 billion, mainly in the business sector. For a further explanation of the changes, see our factsheet on the funding and performance of R&D in the Netherlands.

Analysis
The industry subsector performs the largest share of the R&D expenditure within the business sector. The inclusion of small businesses, has caused the share of R&D expenditure of the subsectors "services" and "others" to increase, at the expense of the share of industry R&D expenditure. As of 2013, when R&D by hired personnel is included in the R&D statistics and some research institutes are re-classified as businesses, the share of the services sector rises again. This happens at the cost of the Industry sector. As of 2015 the share of business R&D expenditure by Industry is 50%.

Large business enterprises (250+ employees) are accountable for the largest contribution to R&D expenditure. Even in absolute terms, the R&D expenditure of large business enterprises increases every year, except in 2008 and 2009.

In 2016 the relative share of businesses with 10-49 employees increases  to 21% of business R&D-expenditure, while the shares of the larger companies decline. This happens because as of this year businesses with 0-10 employees are included. In the years thereafter the share of large businesses grows again from 54% to about 67% as of 2019.
 

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