Home > Statistics > Innovation > 2018 > 7. Innovation expenditure increased compared to the situation two years ago

7. Innovation expenditure increased compared to the situation two years ago

Innovation expenditure reported by enterprises totalled near to EUR 6.8 billion in 2018. Growth from the previous survey was nearly EUR 760 million. Growth came from near to service industries, where particularly expenditure on R&D performed in-house increased significantly compared to the previous survey. In service industries, innovation expenditure amounted to nearly EUR 2.9 billion, while in the previous time good EUR one billion less were reported, around EUR 1.7 billion. The share of in-house and contracted out R&D was 68 per cent of innovation expenditure in service industries in 2018.

In manufacturing innovation expenditure went down in 2018 compared to the previous survey, being now EUR 3.9 billion. Although expenditure on in-house and contracted out R&D grew from the previous time, that is, the survey period 2014 to 2016, enterprises now reported other innovation expenditure less than in the previous time. The share of expenditure on in-house and contracted out R&D of all innovation expenditure was 83 per cent.

The definition of other innovation expenditure than R&D items is very difficult, because specifying items of innovation activity from other activity is hard and laborious because of lack of precise accounting data. For that reason, the image given particularly by other innovation expenditure of inputs into innovation activity should be viewed with reservations. In comparison to enterprises’ investment data, innovation investments, for example, are reported very little in Finland.

Figure 7. Innovation expenditure in total industry (B-C-D-E) in 2018, EUR million

Figure 8. Innovation expenditure in services (G46-H-J-K-M71-M72-M73) in 2018, EUR million

Of industries, research and development expenditure, as well as innovation expenditure in general was recorded in 2018 most in the manufacture of computers, electronic and optical products, and of electrical equipment (C26-C27), EUR 1.7 billion, in computer programming (J62), close on EUR 1.1 billion and in the manufacture of machinery and equipment n.e.c. (C28), around EUR 800 million.

Further information about enterprises’ innovation expenditure by industry

Enterprises’ innovation expenditure and turnover derived from innovations by industry

Source: Innovation 2018, Statistics Finland

Inquiries: Mervi Niemi 029 551 3263, Heidi Pirkola 029 551 3246, tiede.teknologia@stat.fi

Director in charge: Mari Ylä-Jarkko

---

Updated 23.4.2020