R&D spending up 13% between 2008 and 2010

Tuesday 22nd March 2011

Spending on research and development rose 13% from its 2008 level to $2.44 billion in 2010, Statistics New Zealand (SNZ) says.

Business sector spending rose 10% to $1.01 billion, in universities spending was up 23% to $802 million, and in the government sector there was an 8% rise to $629 million.

The biggest area of R&D growth in the business sector was in services, which rose 18% to $481 million, while the increase in universities was due to increased focus on R&D and higher funding from business and government, SNZ said.

The total R&D spend represented 1.3% of gross domestic product, up from 1.19% in 2008.

Despite that increase, spending on R&D in this country continued to be relatively low, SNZ said.

The average for the 34-country Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development was 2.33% in 2008, the last year for which figures were available.

The Government provided 46 percent, or $1.12 billion, of the R&D funding in 2010, with 38%, or $940 million, from the business sector.

SNZ manager of research and development statistics Hamish Hill said there was a trend toward more commercially focused R&D.

In 2010, more than 70% of the R&D was applied research or experimental development - areas more likely to have commercial applications.

NZPA

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