BUSINESS HUMAN RESOURCES DEVOTED TO R&D


INDUSTRY

In 2009-10, the industry divisions of Manufacturing and Professional, scientific and technical services were the main contributors to total human resources devoted to R&D, at 17,339 (30%) and 14,355 (25%) person years of effort (PYE), respectively.

While Manufacturing remained the largest industry contributor in 2009-10, it had the largest decrease in proportional share of total PYE (down from 32% in 2008-09 to 30%). The Financial and insurance services industry had the largest increase in proportional share of total PYE (up from 10% to 17% in 2009-10). This industry also had the largest absolute increase in PYE compared to 2008-09 (up 4,060 PYE).

Mining and Wholesale trade had the largest absolute decreases in human resources devoted to R&D from 2008-09, down 623 PYE and 557 PYE, respectively.


EMPLOYMENT SIZE

In 2009-10, businesses with 200 or more employees accounted for the largest proportion of total human resources devoted to R&D, at 59% of total PYE (or 33,973 PYE). Compared to 2008-09, this employment size group also had the largest absolute growth and percentage increase in PYE (up 2,726 PYE or 9%), and was the only employment size group to increase its proportional share of total PYE.

Between 2008-09 and 2009-10, businesses with 0-4 employees had the smallest absolute increase in PYE (up 82 PYE) and remained the lowest contributing group to total PYE (at 3%).


TYPE OF RESOURCE

Researchers continued to be the most dominant type of human resource devoted to R&D in 2009-10, accounting for 29,085 PYE or 51% of total PYE. Technicians had the largest absolute growth compared to 2008-09 (up 1,652 PYE to 18,859 PYE) and was the only type of resource to increase its proportional share of total PYE (up 1 percentage point to 33%).


FOREIGN OWNERSHIP

In 2009-10, Wholly Australian owned businesses made the largest contribution to total human resource effort devoted to R&D, at 33,323 PYE or 58% of total PYE. Wholly Australian owned businesses also had the largest PYE increase, in both absolute and percentage terms, up 5,062 PYE or 18% compared to 2008-09.

Businesses with Greater than 50% foreign ownership had the largest decrease in proportional share of total PYE compared to 2008-09 (down 4 percentage points to 29% in 2009-10), while Wholly Australian owned businesses had the only increase (up 6 percentage points from 52%).

BUSINESS HUMAN RESOURCES DEVOTED TO R&D, by level of foreign ownership(a)
	HUMAN RESOURCES DEVOTED TO R&D			PROPORTION OF TOTAL HUMAN RESOURCES DEVOTED TO R&D
	2007-08(b)	2008-09(b)	2009-10	2007-08(b)	2008-09(b)	2009-10
	PYE	PYE	PYE	%	%	%
Wholly Australian owned (0%)	26 563	28 261	33 323	52.2	52.3	58.0
Greater than 0% and less than 10%	2 686	3 125	3 221	5.3	5.8	5.6
10% to 50%	4 343	4 886	4 183	8.5	9.0	7.3
Greater than 50%	17 303	17 725	16 730	34.0	32.8	29.1
Total	50 896	53 998	57 457	100.0	100.0	100.0
(a) A definition of foreign ownership was not provided in the survey and data were accepted as reported.
(b) Some 2007-08 and 2008-09 data have been revised. See the Revisions section of the Technical Note for details.