R&D activities of Finnish companies in comparison: OECD Finland analysis

Abstract

In the OECD microBeRD project, firms’ research and development activities are compared using harmonized national datasets. This analysis compares Finland’s results with those of 21 other countries participating in the project. The comparisons cover the years 2011–2016, but for Finland, results from 2017–2022 are also included. The findings indicate a substantial structural change in Finnish firms’ R&D activities.

During 2017–2022, small, young (under five years old) Finnish companies conducted considerably more R&D than in previous years, and earlier than in other OECD countries. The structural change in Finnish R&D is also evident in the concentration of R&D activities: in the early 2010s, R&D was exceptionally concentrated internationally, but from the latter half of the decade onwards, it has been at internationally typical levels.

Comparisons also show that the share of R&D conducted by foreign-owned firms has been small by international standards, though it has been increasing. In Finland, the share of R&D spending devoted to applied research has been lower, and the share devoted to development higher, than in the comparison group of countries. In addition, the analysis presents a set of other cross-country comparisons that further illustrate the characteristics and development trajectory of Finnish firms’ R&D activities. (AI translation)

• ISSN: 2954-2618 (Online)
• ISBN: 978-952-209-213-7 (Online)
• Publication in PDF-format