Investment in research and development (R&D) – activities to generate new knowledge and create new technology – is a cornerstone input for innovation. This report provides an update of major trends in R&D and related innovation metrics, in light of continuing Congressional interest in U.S. competitiveness.
This report uses new data from the Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), supplemented with other sources.
The U.S. position remains strong, but public investments are stagnant: the U.S. is now 6th in total R&D intensity, but 13th in government R&D, 10th in basic science intensity, and only 17th in researchers as a share of the workforce. China has not yet caught up to the U.S. in R&D, but it leads the world in published output in math and physical science and engineering, and increasingly produces high-value patents. Download the report.
For more, download the report.