High R & D intensity centred around a few sectors

Business sector R&D, which totalled SEK 78.6 billion in 2009, is highly concentrated to the pharmaceutical industry, industrial electricity, computing and optical equipment and the vehicle manufacturing industry. These sectors account for 53 percent of the R & D expenditures. Together with the "pure" R&D companies, these are also the industries with the highest R&D intensity in relation to net sales.

R & D in relation to net sales unchanged

The R & D intensity variables were unchanged or somewhat lower in 2009 compared to 2007, except for R&D in relation to value added.

R & D intensity in 2005, 2007 and 2009. Enterprises with 10 employees or more, percent

Intensity measure	2009	2007	2005
Full-time equivalents for R&D in relation to average number of employees	2.9	2.9	3.2
Expenditures for intramural R&D in relation to net sales	1.6	1.6	1.6
Current costs for intramural R&D in relation to net sales	1.5	1.5	1.5
Expenditures for intramural R&D in relation to value added	5.8	5.7	6
Labour costs for intramural R&D in relation to total labour costs.	4.2	4.3	4.6

Swedish corporate R&D spending high in international comparison

International comparisons of R&D intensity where R&D activities are related to each country's size puts Sweden in a top position. In absolute numbers also, Swedish companies are placed high when R&D expenditures are related to the rest of the OECD-member states. Swedish companies perform 1.1 percent of all R&D in the OECD and the OECD's partner countries. U.S. enterprises are the largest R&D performers with close to 36 percent, followed by the EU27 with a share of 23 percent and Japan with 14 percent. China's share has risen sharply in recent years and in the last survey reached 11 percent.

Definitions and explanations

High-tech sector

The OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) defines sectors in high-, medium-, medium low-, and low technologies. Included in high-tech sectors are e.g. Pharmaceuticals and Electronics.

Research and Development (R&D)

Research is systematic work to find new knowledge or ideas with or without the aim of a particular purpose. Development is systematic work that uses research results, scientific knowledge or new ideas to bring about new material, goods, services, processes, systems, methods or significant improvements of those that already exist. Intramural R&D includes activities carried out in Sweden by the organisation's own personnel, or by consultants in an R&D project led by the organisation.

Person-years (person equivalents)

refers to the work carried out by a full-time employee during one year. A full-time employee who spent half his/her time working with R&D counts as 0.5 person-years.