Research & Development Statistics in OECD Countries

Research and Development is an activity aimed on the acquisition of new knowledge and its practical application in the process of creation of new products or technologies. R&D includes wide set of activities starting from advancing of theoretical hypothesis to development of new products. Since nowadays in business the major part of added value is shifting from the production phase to the development phase, the role of R&D is growing. Besides, the competititon at the market is rapidly increasing, R&D activity can become the competitive advantage for high-tech business. The R&D results affect key decisions in high-tech business. On the other hand, Research and Development is risky activity, because there are too much uncertainty in the process of designing and developing new products and technologies. Nowadays the governments of many countries try to encourage and promote research centers and high-tech firms by means of privileges, subsidies and grants.