1. Measuring R&D in developing countries: Annex to Frascati Manual
SEMINAR – WORKSHOP ON SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION INDICATORS Phnom Penh, Cambodia Nov 2008

2. Outline The UIS approach R&D statistics in developing countries
Characteristics of R&D in developing countries
Measurement issues
Present status and way forward

3. The UIS approach
Advisory Meeting to the UIS S&T Statistics Programme held in Montreal, Canada, December 2007
Papers commissioned by UIS to Jacques Gaillard (IRD, Paris), Michael Kahn et. al.(HSRC, South Africa), and Gustavo Arber et. al. (RICYT, Argentina)
Experience acquired through the UIS work, in particular through the direct contact with S&T statisticians in numerous workshops and other meetings around the developing world.
Proposal for an annex to the Frascati Manual on measuring R&D in developing countries was presented at the OECD 2008 NESTI meeting.

4. Countries and Territories included
R&D statistics in developing countries are still rare in some countries/regions
Regions
Countries and Territories included
Data published by UIS
Coverage
Total
215
129
60%
Developed countries 59 50
85%
Triad (OECD + EU) 43
100%
Others in Europe 16 7
44%
Developing world
156 79
51%
in Africa 54 28
52%
Sub-Saharan Africa 46 23
50%
Arab States in Africa 8 5
63%
in Asia 26
excl. Arab States 31
74%
Arab States in Asia 12 3
25%
in the Americas 42
55%
Latin America (RICYT) 19
83%
Caribbean & territories 4
21%
in Oceania 17 2
12%
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics, 2008

5. R&D statistics in developing countries
Meeting targets, evidence-based S&T policy, but
lack of interest at the level of policy makers (low policy-relevance?),
lack of resources devoted to statistics in S&T,
lack of technical knowledge for the production of cross-nationally comparable R&D statistics,
difficulties in applying FM concepts and methods.
weak statistical institutions
S&T indicators need to be adapted to particular policy needs, and need to provide answers to actual policy questions.

6. Selected characteristics of R&D in developing countries
Nature of R&D activities
Patterns in research funding and budgeting
Professional Crisis
Concentration
Heterogeneity
Brain mobility and internationalization
More than R&D indicators needed

7. Characteristics of R&D in developing countries – funding
Traditionally dominated by government spend (or higher education) BUT becoming much more diversified
Foreign investment much larger % of R&D funding
Significance of the ‘not-for- profit’ sector
Funding may pass direct to individuals rather than institutions; bypassing traditional data collection

8. Characteristics of R&D in developing countries - personnel
Researchers with research but no funding
Researchers with funding but no research
Much less common than lack of funding (?), but includes other barriers to research; availability of ‘tools’, problems of ‘access’, conflict situations etc
‘taxi professors’
Two (or more) jobs resulting in less than expected, or very variable, time spent on research
‘enseignant-chercheur’ (teacher-researcher)
A contract giving a certain employment status but not necessarily linked to a certain level of active research

9. Characteristics of R&D in developing countries – special types of R&D
Traditional knowledge
traditional knowledge as an object of scientific study
applying scientific methods within areas of traditional knowledge ie biodiversity
using science to develop the products of traditional knowledge
Community development
If projects are concerned with development and testing
Clinical trials
Of growing importance in R&D
Led by foreign institutions
Reverse engineering
Deriving principles from an existing product in the context of an R&D project

10. Other structural issues
Co-ordination of national science
Concentration – national R&D can be dominated by one or two BIG projects, impacting on both finance and personnel
Informal economy may play a large part in R&D activities, but is usually hidden from measurement

11. Measurement strategy Acknowledge differences and problems.
Maintain Frascati standard to ensure, and through guidance increase, comparability
Allow statistics to better identify key priorities
Sectors for development
Improved conditions for researchers
Clearly identify barriers > so they can be removed
Identify successes > make them easier to
Maintain and develop
Replicate in other areas/countries

12. Measurement issues FM issues affecting developing countries
applicability of concepts and definitions
structure of R&D systems
Sectorial issues
Business enterprise sector
Higher Education sector
Private-non-profit sector
Abroad and international sector
use of secondary sources (beyond surveys)

13. Measurement issues Developing country issues beyond FM scope
Difficulties in establishing surveys
Data sources: Need to establish proper registers and directories to provide an overview of the system and an initial framework for R&D surveys
Institutionalization
Interaction with stakeholders - users and producers - ownership
Develop new internationalization indicators
Develop STA indicators
Need for studies to complement, interpret and use indicators

14. Frascati manual proposals
Introduce/define more precisely categories of funding sources and performing sectors that highlight characteristics of developing countries eg foreign investment
Capture the role of the researcher to better identify successes and problems

15. Present status and way forward
"Annex to the FM on measuring R&D in developing countries". To provide guidance and clarifications to help developing countries to implement R&D surveys and FM concepts. A task force (lead by UIS) was established by the NEST to proceed with this.
UIS is in the process of preparing the 1st draft of the Annex. More inputs needed…
"UIS guide to S&T statistics". UIS to develop new concepts and guidelines to address challenges specific to developing countries, exceeding the scope of FM: S&T statistics beyond R&D.
Some of the issues might also present measurement challenges for a future revision of the Frascati Manual.
UIS to further consult Member States to expand and refine the issues.

16. Statistical capacity building to help countries with
Co-ordination
Technical skills
Advocacy

17. http://www.uis.unesco.org Thank you!
UNESCO Institute for Statistics C.P Succursale Centre-ville, Montreal, Quebec, H3C 3J7, Canada.
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