Home > Statistics > Innovation > 2008 > Innovation activity still more common in manufacturing than in service enterprises

Published: 10 June 2010

Innovation activity still more common in manufacturing than in service enterprises

Nearly one half of enterprises employing at least ten persons practised innovation activity related to product and process innovations in 2006–2008. The majority of these also introduced product or process innovations. During the time period in question, innovation activities were most often directed to research and development and purchases of machines and equipment. Enterprises reported innovation expenditure to the tune of around EUR seven billion in 2008. The data derive from a survey of Statistics Finland concerning innovation activity among enterprises.

Prevalence of innovation activities in manufacturing and services, 2006–2008, share of enterprises with innovation activity

Fifty-seven per cent of the enterprises having launched product innovations on the market in 2006 to 2008 introduced products new to their market. Three out of four of those with innovations brought to the market products new to their enterprise. In 2008 around 16 per cent of the enterprises' combined turnover was accumulated from innovations launched on the market in 2006 to 2008.

Innovation activity related to product and process innovations was still more common in manufacturing than services and large enterprises engaged in innovation activity more often than small ones did. The key objectives in innovation activity were improvement of the quality of products, enlargement of the product selection and growing of the market share, but such as increasing the flexibility of processes and cost-effectiveness were equally important targets. Enterprises felt the most important information sources for work related to the development of product and process innovations were customers, and equipment and material suppliers and for group enterprises other enterprises in their group.

Of the enterprises with innovation activity 37 per cent had been involved in co-operation related to innovations with other enterprises and institutes. The main co-operating partners for the development of innovations were, similarly as for the most important information sources, customers, and equipment and material suppliers and for group enterprises their own group. Co-operation is also extensive with international partners; for example, nearly one third of those having co-operated reported partners in the United States and almost one fifth had partners in China.

One third of all enterprises said that they had had marketing or organisational innovations. Enterprises thought the main objectives of organisational innovations were acceleration of responding to co-operation partners’ needs, while with innovations connected to marketing the aim is to strengthen the market share and reach new customers.

Nearly two thirds of the enterprises having adopted product, process, marketing or organisational innovations in 2006 to 2008 claimed that their innovations had produced environmental benefits. In manufacturing the share was 73 per cent of those with innovations, and in services 53 per cent. The most general environmental benefits related to production of products were more effective use of materials and energy, and recycling of waste, water or materials used in production. Intensification of energy use was mentioned most commonly of the environmental benefits related to the end use of products. Enterprises thought the most important reasons for introducing environmental innovations were the demand for environmental innovations and voluntary agreements and instructions related to environment-friendly activity.

The survey covered enterprises employing at least ten persons in manufacturing (incl. mining and quarrying, electricity, gas and air-conditioning supply, and water supply and waste management) and in certain service industries.

Source: Innovation 2008, Statistics Finland

Inquiries: Mervi Niemi (09) 1734 3263, tiede.teknologia@stat.fi

Director in charge: Leena Storgårds

Publication in pdf-format (814.1 kB)

Reviews

• 1. Introduction (10.6.2010)
• 2. Innovation activity connected to product and process innovations in 2006 - 2008 (10.6.2010)
• 3. Marketing and organisational innovations 2006 - 2008 (10.6.2010)
• 4. Introduction of innovations producing environmental benefits in 2006-2008 (10.6.2010)

Tables

Tables in databases

Pick the data you need into tables, view the data as graphs, or download the data for your use.

• Database tables and their variables
• Archived tables

Appendix tables

• Table 1. Prevalence of innovation activity by size category of personnel, 2006 - 2008, share of enterprises (10.6.2010)
• Table 2. Prevalence of innovation activity by industry, 2006 - 2008, share of enterprises (10.6.2010)
• Table 3. Prevalence of innovation activity by form of enterprise, 2006 - 2008, share of enterprises (10.6.2010)
• Table 4. Prevalence of product (good or service) innovations by size category of personnel, 2006 - 2008, share of enterprises (10.6.2010)
• Table 5. Prevalence of product (good or service) innovations by industry, 2006 - 2008, share of enterprises (10.6.2010)
• Table 6. Developers of product and process innovations by size category of personnel, 2006 - 2008, share of enterprises with innovations (10.6.2010)
• Table 7. Developers of product and process innovations by industry, 2006 - 2008, share of enterprises with innovations (10.6.2010)
• Table 8. Enterprises with product innovations by degree of novelty of innovations and size category of personnel, 2006 - 2008, share of enterprises with product innovations (10.6.2010)
• Table 9. Enterprises with product innovations by degree of novelty of innovations and industry, 2006 - 2008, share of enterprises with product innovations (10.6.2010)
• Table 10. Share of enterprises having produced new products for the market by size category of personnel, 2006 - 2008 (10.6.2010)
• Table 11. Share of enterprises having produced new products for the market by industry, 2006 - 2008 (10.6.2010)
• Table 12. Proportions of product innovations and unchanged products of turnover by size category of personnel, 2008 (10.6.2010)
• Table 13. Proportions of product innovations and unchanged products of turnover by industry, 2008, share of total turnover of all enterprises (10.6.2010)
• Table 14. Prevalence of process innovations by size category of personnel, 2006 - 2008, share of enterprises (10.6.2010)
• Table 15. Prevalence of process innovations by industry, 2006 - 2008, share of enterprises (10.6.2010)
• Table 16. Prevalence of ongoing and abandoned innovation activities by size category of personnel, 2006 - 2008, share of enterprises (10.6.2010)
• Table 17. Prevalence of RD by size category of personnel, 2006 - 2008, share of enterprises with innovation activity (10.6.2010)
• Table 18. Prevalence of other innovation activities by size category of personnel, 2006 - 2008, share of enterprises with innovation activity (10.6.2010)
• Table 19. Prevalence of RD by industry, 2006 - 2008, share of enterprises with innovation activity (10.6.2010)
• Table 20. Prevalence of other innovation activities by industry, 2006 - 2008, share of enterprises with innovation activity (10.6.2010)
• Table 21. Innovation expenditure, 2008, EUR million (10.6.2010)
• Table 22. Public financing of innovation activity by size category of personnel, 2006 - 2008, share of enterprises with innovation activity (10.6.2010)
• Table 23. Public financing of innovation activity by industry, 2006 - 2008, share of enterprises with innovation activity (10.6.2010)
• Table 24. Information sources for innovation activity relating to product and process innovations, 2006 - 2008, importance of sources, share of enterprises with innovation activity (10.6.2010)
• Table 25a. Enterprises indicating high or medium importance of information source by size category of personnel, 2006 - 2008, share of enterprises with innovation activity (10.6.2010)
• Table 25b. Enterprises indicating high or medium importance of information source by size category of personnel, 2006 - 2008, share of enterprises with innovation activity (10.6.2010)
• Table 26. Co-operation in innovation activity by significance of co-operating partner, 2006 - 2008, share of enterprises with innovation activity (10.6.2010)
• Table 27. Enterprises with innovation co-operation by co-operation partner and size category of personnel, 2006 - 2008, share of enterprises with innovation activity (10.6.2010)
• Table 28. Enterprises with innovation co-operation by co-operation partner and industry, 2006 - 2008, share of enterprises with innovation activity (10.6.2010)
• Table 29. Co-operation in innovation activity by location of co-operating partner, 2006 - 2008, share of enterprises with innovation activity (10.6.2010)
• Table 30. Co-operation in innovation activity by location of co-operating partner and size category of personnel, 2006 - 2008, share of enterprises with innovation activity (10.6.2010)
• Table 31. Co-operation in innovation activity by location of co-operating partner and industry, 2006 - 2008, share of enterprises with innovation activity (10.6.2010)
• Table 32. Objectives of innovation activity relating to product and process innovations, 2006 - 2008, importance of objectives, share of enterprises with innovation activity (10.6.2010)
• Table 33a. Enterprises indicating high or medium importance of objectives (for innovation activity relating to product and process innovations) by size category of personnel, 2006 - 2008, share of enterprises with innovation activity (10.6.2010)
• Table 33b. Enterprises indicating high or medium importance of objectives (for innovation activity relating to product and process innovations) by size category of personnel, 2006 - 2008, share of enterprises with innovation activity (10.6.2010)
• Table 34. Prevalence of marketing and organisational innovations by size category of personnel, 2006 - 2008, share of enterprises (10.6.2010)
• Table 35. Prevalence of marketing and organisational innovations by size category of personnel, 2006 - 2008, share of enterprises (10.6.2010)
• Table 36. Prevalence of marketing and organisational innovations by form of enterprise, 2006 - 2008, share of enterprises (10.6.2010)
• Table 37. Prevalence of organisational innovations by size category of personnel, 2006 - 2008, share of enterprises (10.6.2010)
• Table 38. Prevalence of organisational innovations by industry, 2006 - 2008, share of enterprises (10.6.2010)
• Table 39. Objectives of organisational innovations, 2006 - 2008, importance of objectives, share of enterprises with organisational innovations (10.6.2010)
• Table 40. Enterprises indicating high or medium objectives for organisational innovations by size category of personnel, 2006 - 2008, share of enterprises with organisational innovations (10.6.2010)
• Table 41. Prevalence of marketing innovations by size category of personnel, 2006 - 2008, share of enterprises (10.6.2010)
• Table 42. Prevalence of marketing innovations by industry, 2006 - 2008, share of enterprises (10.6.2010)
• Table 43. Objectives of marketing innovations, 2006 - 2008, importance of objectives, share of enterprises with marketing innovations (10.6.2010)
• Table 44. Enterprises indicating high or medium objectives for marketing innovations by size category of personnel, 2006 - 2008, share of enterprises with marketing innovations (10.6.2010)
• Table 45a. Environmental benefits created by environmental innovations by size category of personnel, 2006 - 2008, share of enterprises with innovations (10.6.2010)
• Table 45b. Environmental benefits created by environmental innovations by size category of personnel, 2006 - 2008, share of enterprises with innovations (10.6.2010)
• Table 46a. Environmental benefits created by environmental innovations by industry, 2006 - 2008, share of enterprises with innovations (10.6.2010)
• Table 46b. Environmental benefits created by environmental innovations by industry, 2006 - 2008, share of enterprises with innovations (10.6.2010)
• Table 47. Reasons for implementing environmental innovations by size category of personnel, 2006 - 2008, share of enterprises with environmental innovations (10.6.2010)
• Table 48. Reasons for implementing environmental innovations by industry, 2006 - 2008, share of enterprises with environmental innovations (10.6.2010)

---

Updated 10.6.2010