STATISTIK AUSTRIA - Research and Development (R&D), Innovation

PRESS RELEASE: 9.710-152/10

Vienna, 2010-07-06 – More than half of the Austrian enterprises (56%) were innovation active in the years between 2006 and 2008. These enterprises have either introduced product, process, marketing or organisational innovations or had ongoing innovation activities by the end of 2008. These are the results of a survey of Statistics Austria among 3 500 enterprises with ten or more employees in the most important sectors of economy.

Enterprises in the manufacturing sector are more innovative than those in the service industries: 59% of enterprises in the manufacturing sector are innovation active, whereas 54% of the enterprises in the service sector are. Large enterprises are more innovative than smaller firms. Whereas half of the enterprises (51%) with 10 to 49 employees were innovation active, more than four fifth of enterprises with more than 250 employees reported innovation activities (86%). 70% of the medium-sized enterprises between 50 and 249 employees implemented any innovation activity.

35% of the enterprises have introduced an organisational innovation in the period in question; this is the innovation type which is most common. 32% of enterprises are process innovators and 31% have introduced new or significantly improved products (product innovators). 27% of the enterprises reported having introduced marketing innovations. Manufacturing firms implemented more often "technological innovations" (product and process innovations) than "non-technological innovations" (organisational and marketing innovations). On the other hand, these types of innovation are more common among enterprises of the service sector (see table 1).

1.7% of enterprises' turnover is spent on innovations

In 2008, innovation expenditures of the Austrian enterprises accounted for 1.7% of the total turnover. This amounts to 6.9 billion euro. Of these, approximately 60% fell upon expenditures for intramural research and development (R&D) and 26% upon expenditures for acquisition of machinery, equipment and software for innovations. Sales of innovative products which were introduced onto the market between 2006 and 2008 contributed 11.2% to the total turnover. 5.5% applied to market novelties and 5.8% onto product innovations which were not new for the market, but new for the respective enterprise.

61% of the innovation active enterprises have also introduced innovations with environmental benefits in the three years between 2006 and 2008. These "eco-innovations" are new or significantly improved products, processes, organizational methods or marketing methods that create environmental benefits compared to alternatives.

31% of the innovation active enterprises indicated that their innovations reduced soil, water, noise or air pollution from the production of goods or services within the enterprise. Reduced energy use by the end user was also reported by 31% of the enterprises.

Detailed results and further information can be found on our German website.

Methodological information, definitions: These data are the outcome of the grossed-up results of the Community Innovation Survey (CIS 2008), which was conducted by Statistics Austria on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Economics, Family and Youth (BMWFJ) based on a harmonised model questionnaire, standardised definitions and methodology. This voluntary sample survey has yielded answers from more than 3 500 Austrian enterprises with more than 9 employees in the sectors of mining and quarrying, manufacturing, electricity, gas steam and air conditioning supply, water supply, wholesale trade, transportation and storage, information and communication, financial and insurance activities and architectural and engineering activities.
Innovations according to this survey were defined as the introduction of product, process, marketing or organsiational innovations. A product innovation is a market introduction of new or significantly improved products (goods or services) with respect to its capabilities, user friendliness, components or sub-systems. A process innovation is the implementation of new or significantly improved production processes, distribution methods or support activities, such as maintaining systems or operations for purchasing, accounting or computing. An organisational innovation is a new organisational method in the enterprise’s business practices (including knowledge management), workplace organisation or external relations that has not been previously used before. A marketing innovation is the implementation of a new marketing concept or strategy that differs significantly from the enterprise’s existing marketing methods and which has not been used before.

Please contact for enquiries on this topic in the Directorate Population Statistics, Statistics Austria:
Andreas SCHIEFER, Tel.: +43 (1) 71128-7162 resp. andreas.schiefer@statistik.gv.at and
Irmgard FREY, Tel.: +43 (1) 71128-7296 resp. irmgard.frey@statistik.gv.at

Table 1: Innovation active enterprises between 2006 and 2008
Sector of economy/Size class	Innovation active enterprises	Product innovators	Process innovators	Organisational innovators	Marketing innovators
	Innovation active enterprises	Product innovators	Process innovators	Organisational innovators	Marketing innovators
	as % of all enterprises
Total	56.2	31.2	32.0	34.9	27.3
Of which
Manufacturing	59.4	36.5	36.9	33.4	26.0
Services	53.8	27.4	27.9	36.1	28.6
Of which
Small enterprises	50.9	25.7	26.5	29.8	24.4
Medium enterprises	70.2	44.7	45.5	46.8	34.2
Large enterprises	86.4	66.2	67.2	68.4	45.8
S: STATISTICS AUSTRIA. Community Innovation Survey (CIS 2008).

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56% of the Austrian enterprises are innovation active

1.7% of enterprises' turnover is spent on innovations