Research and development
How much funding from the business sector and the public sector goes into research and development (R&D)? And what share of Denmark’s total GDP does this correspond to? Research and development are important drivers of societal development as well as of companies’ growth opportunities and competitiveness. The R&D-statistics measures the scope and content of R&D activities in the business enterprise sector and the public sector.
Explainer on…
Work performed on a systematic basis to enhance the existing knowledge as well as the utilisation of this knowledge for devising new areas of application.
The enterprise's expenditure on its own research and development activities including wages for both internal and external staff as well as expenditure on equipment, buildings and other operating costs.
Personnel who have carried out research and development for the enterprise converted into full-time equivalents. Personnel include both technical staff and researchers including external employees.
Prices or price level that applies to goods and services in the current period. The opposite of current prices is fixed prices.
Selected statistics on Research and development
Developments in Research and Development expenditure
The statistics are an annual, sample-based questionnaire survey based on information collected from approx. 3,500 companies from most size classes and all NACE-industries in the Danish enterprise sector. For 2024, information is collected from 3,416 companies, sampled as a sample from a framework population of approx. 22,000 companies.
The data collection for R&D and innovation in business is carried out as one complete data collection in one questionnaire. For equal reference years, overall data on R&D expenditure and staff as well as the purchase of R&D services are collected. For the odd reference years, a full R&D survey is collected with detailed information on, for example, sources of funding.
The companies for the sample are selected depending on the number of employees and industry. The committee probability is 100 per cent. among the largest companies (companies with 100+ employees or turnover greater than DKK 1 billion), and the committee probability is decreasing as the number of employees decreases. To ensure the overall quality of the statistics, R&D-intensive industries have higher coverage than smaller R & D-intensive industries. The companies in the sample are randomly selected.
Based on a gross population retrieved from the Business Statistics Register, ESR, a survey population (framework population) is formed, from which companies in specific industries or with very few employees (depending on industry) are sorted. The survey population is the population that is later counted up to and thus the population that the survey describes. In 2024, the survey population consists of approx. 22,000 companies.
Business enterprise expenditure on research and development
The statistics are an annual, sample-based questionnaire survey based on information collected from approx. 3,500 companies from most size classes and all NACE-industries in the Danish enterprise sector. For 2024, information is collected from 3,416 companies, sampled as a sample from a framework population of approx. 22,000 companies.
The data collection for R&D and innovation in business is carried out as one complete data collection in one questionnaire. For equal reference years, overall data on R&D expenditure and staff as well as the purchase of R&D services are collected. For the odd reference years, a full R&D survey is collected with detailed information on, for example, sources of funding.
The companies for the sample are selected depending on the number of employees and industry. The committee probability is 100 per cent. among the largest companies (companies with 100+ employees or turnover greater than DKK 1 billion), and the committee probability is decreasing as the number of employees decreases. To ensure the overall quality of the statistics, R&D-intensive industries have higher coverage than smaller R & D-intensive industries. The companies in the sample are randomly selected.
Based on a gross population retrieved from the Business Statistics Register, ESR, a survey population (framework population) is formed, from which companies in specific industries or with very few employees (depending on industry) are sorted. The survey population is the population that is later counted up to and thus the population that the survey describes. In 2024, the survey population consists of approx. 22,000 companies.
Public sector expenditure on research and development
The statistics are questionnaire-based and are collected from approximately 650 public and private non-profit units, which together are assumed to carry out all significant R&D in the public sector. Data are collected using two separate questionnaires: one for university hospitals and one for other reporting units (primarily universities).
R&D full time equivalents in the public sector
The statistics are questionnaire-based and are collected from approximately 650 public and private non-profit units, which together are assumed to carry out all significant R&D in the public sector. Data are collected using two separate questionnaires: one for university hospitals and one for other reporting units (primarily universities).
On the statistics – documentation, sources and method
See the documentation of statistics to learn more:
The purpose of the R&D statistics of the enterprise sector is to analyse the scope of research and experimental development undertaken within the sector. This is carried out by estimating the resources used in the area, measured in R&D-expenditure and R&D-personnel broken down on industry, size class and the regional level. The survey is conducted in accordance with OECDs guidelines for R&D statistics as described in the Frascati Manual. The Danish data are comparable with the data of other OECD- and EU-countries.
Additional documentation
The statistic give information on the general government budget for research and development from 2001 onwards. The Ministry of Finance is in charge of the bigger part of the data collection.
The purpose of the innovation survey is to examine the scope, the nature and the effect of innovation in the business sector including the innovation activities. Data will be collected enabling comparisons over time. The survey is conducted in accordance with the EU and OECD guidelines for innovation statistics described in the Oslo Manual. Danish data are thereby comparable with data from other EU countries. From the reference year 2007 statistics are compiled on a yearly basis, but only directly comparable from 2020 forward.
The purpose of the statistics on Research and Development in the public sector is to illustrate the extent of R&D activities carried out within the public sector. The statistics are used, among other things, to assess the share of GDP devoted to research and development. The survey is conducted according to the OECD guidelines for research and development (R&D) statistics, as set out in the Frascati Manual. The statistics have been produced since 1997, but are comparable in their current form from 2007 onwards.