1301.0 - Year Book Australia, 2002  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 25/01/2002   
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Contents >> Science and Innovation >> R&D expenditure - Business sector

Business expenditure on R&D in Australia in 1999-2000 (table 25.6) was marginally lower than in 1998-99. However, human resources devoted to R&D increased by 5%.

The decrease in R&D expenditure between 1998-99 and 1999-2000 was attributable to a 43% fall in the Mining industry. Expenditure by the Manufacturing industry remained about the same, while expenditure by Other industries in total increased by 12%.

25.6 BUSINESSES, R&D Resources by Industry of Business

Businesses
Expenditure on R&D
Effort on R&D



Industry of business
1997-98



no.
1998-99



no.
1999-2000



no.
1997-98



$m
1998-99



$m
1999-2000



$m
1997-98

’000
person
years
1998-99

’000

person
years
1999-2000

’000

person
years

Mining (including services to mining)
106
102
96
537
478
273
1.0
1.0
0.7
Manufacturing -
- Food, beverage and tobacco
149
148
134
181
208
186
1.1
1.1
1.1
- Textile, clothing, footwear and leather
54
54
50
21
20
17
0.2
0.2
0.2
- Wood and paper product
35
30
38
117
86
104
0.3
0.2
0.4
- Printing, publishing and recorded media
33
34
26
17
20
15
0.2
0.2
0.2
- Petroleum, coal, chemical and associated product
317
314
334
328
351
413
2.4
2.3
2.3
- Non-metallic mineral product
60
59
50
70
53
49
0.4
0.4
0.4
- Metal product
182
174
181
369
296
227
1.4
1.2
1.1
- Motor vehicle and part and other transport equipment
124
126
139
441
380
420
2.7
2.8
3.1
- Photographic and scientific equipment
100
103
172
95
107
127
0.9
0.9
1.1
- Electronic and electrical equipment and appliance
329
337
322
427
400
342
2.8
2.9
2.8
- Industrial machinery and equipment
248
232
244
126
115
132
1.2
1.1
1.3
- Other manufacturing
73
77
87
36
19
20
0.2
0.2
0.2
- Total manufacturing
1,704
1,688
1,777
2,229
2,055
2,052
13.8
13.5
14.1
Other industries
- Wholesale and retail trade
331
303
295
315
337
352
2.5
2.3
2.5
- Finance and insurance
40
33
34
85
81
126
0.4
0.7
0.8
- Property and business services
771
797
868
599
612
720
5.1
5.4
5.8
- Scientific research
104
153
148
154
161
210
1.1
1.2
1.3
- Other n.e.c.
181
182
191
301
343
313
1.0
1.0
0.9
- Total other industries
1,427
1,468
1,536
1,454
1,535
1,721
10.1
10.5
11.2
Total all industries
3,237
3,258
3,409
4,219
4,068
4,045
24.8
25.0
26.1

Source: Research and Experimental Development, Business Enterprises, Australia (8104.0).


Major research fields (table 25.7) in which business sector R&D expenditure took place were Computer software (13%), Communications technologies (9%), Manufacturing engineering (9%), Automotive engineering (8%), Information systems (7%) and Medical and health sciences (6%).

A slightly different pattern applied to human resources devoted to R&D, with 19% in Computer software, 9% in Automotive engineering, 9% in Manufacturing engineering, 7% in Information systems, 7% in Communications technologies and 6% in Medical and health sciences.


25.7 BUSINESSES, R&D Resources by Research Fields - 1999-2000

Type of expenditure

Research field
Capital expenditure


$m
Labour
costs


$m
Other current expenditure


$m
Total


$m
Human
resources

’000 person
years

Mathematical sciences
0.5
8.1
5.4
14.0
0.1
Physical sciences
2.9
18.6
12.9
34.3
0.3
Chemical sciences
31.0
78.0
71.2
180.3
1.1
Earth sciences
5.6
17.4
37.2
60.2
0.2
Biological sciences
19.6
45.0
45.7
110.4
0.7
Information systems
22.9
135.9
105.2
264.0
1.8
Computer software
36.5
363.4
142.3
542.2
5.0
Other information, computing and communication sciences
20.5
80.3
65.1
165.9
1.2
Industrial biotechnology and food sciences
18.1
55.8
48.5
122.5
0.8
Chemical engineering
13.3
23.5
34.2
70.9
0.3
Manufacturing engineering
31.4
143.8
171.2
346.4
2.4
Automotive engineering
16.3
134.6
173.4
324.4
2.4
Mechanical and industrial engineering
34.0
80.8
86.6
201.4
1.3
Resources engineering
10.1
48.6
91.7
150.4
0.6
Electrical and electronic engineering
10.2
59.1
55.6
124.8
1.0
Metallurgy
15.6
40.2
105.3
161.2
0.4
Materials engineering
6.3
30.5
34.2
71.0
0.5
Communications technologies
30.1
124.5
201.5
356.1
1.7
Other engineering and technology
27.3
138.8
157.0
323.1
1.8
Agricultural, veterinary and environmental sciences
19.0
56.6
73.0
148.6
0.9
Medical and health sciences
20.9
100.6
131.1
252.6
1.4
Other research fields
1.7
12.5
6.3
20.5
0.2
Total
393.9
1,796.7
1,854.7
4,045.3
26.1

Source: Research and Experimental Development, Business Enterprises, Australia (8104.0).


In terms of socioeconomic objectives (table 25.8), most business sector R&D expenditure ($3,617m or 89%) was directed towards Economic development. Of this, $1,791m (50%) was directed towards Manufacturing. About 6% was directed towards Society and 4% towards Defence.

A similar pattern applied to human resources devoted to R&D, with 90% directed towards Economic development, 6% directed towards Society and 3% towards Defence.


25.8 BUSINESSES, R&D Resources by Socioeconomic Objective - 1999-2000
Type of expenditure

Socioeconomic objective
Capital expenditure



$m
Labour
costs



$m
Other current expenditure



$m
Total



$m
Human
resources

’000
person
years

Defence
1.2
71.0
81.8
154.0
0.7
Economic development -
- Plant-production and primary products
5.0
22.8
17.5
45.3
0.4
- Animal-production and primary products
1.7
13.4
28.3
43.3
0.2
- Mineral resources (excl. energy)
26.7
50.9
159.2
236.7
0.7
- Energy resources
4.8
33.0
43.8
81.6
0.4
- Energy supply
28.6
48.3
57.5
134.5
0.7
- Manufacturing
193.5
767.4
830.2
1,791.1
12.0
- Construction
8.6
26.8
34.6
70.0
0.4
- Transport
15.9
56.6
58.1
130.6
0.9
- Information and communication services
83.3
519.8
381.6
984.7
7.0
- Commercial services and tourism
5.8
58.9
25.5
90.1
0.8
- Economic framework
0.8
5.9
2.3
8.9
0.1
- Total economic development
374.7
1,603.7
1,638.6
3,616.9
23.5
Society -
- Health
12.0
86.4
104.0
202.3
1.2
- Education and training
0.3
4.4
1.4
6.0
0.1
- Social development and community services
0.4
13.3
4.4
18.1
0.3
- Total society
12.6
104.1
109.8
226.4
1.5
Environment -
- Environmental policy frameworks and other aspects
1.1
4.7
6.4
12.3
0.1
- Environmental management
3.6
11.3
16.6
31.5
0.2
- Total environment
4.7
16.0
23.0
43.8
0.3
Non-oriented research
0.7
2.0
1.5
4.1
-
Total
393.9
1,796.7
1,854.7
4,045.3
26.1

Source: Research and Experimental Development, Business Enterprises, Australia (8104.0).



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