Science and technology

Description:

The linkages between university research and its contribution to national and regional economies are not well understood. During the summer of 1998, Statistics Canada conducted a pilot survey of intellectual property (IP) commercialization in the higher education sector to begin to measure some of the contributions. The voluntary questionnaire was sent to 81 universities and degree-granting colleges, of which 74 responded. The results show that most universities participate in a wide variety of activities including identifying, protecting, promoting and commercializing IP.

Description:

Statistics Canada is engaged in the "Information System for Science and Technology Project" to develop useful indicators of activity and a framework to tie them together into a coherent picture of science and technology (S&T) in Canada. The working papers series is used to publish results of the different initiatives conducted within this project. The data are related to the activities, linkages and outcomes of S&T. Several key areas are covered such as: innovation, technology diffusion, human resources in S&T and interrelations between different actors involved in S&T. This series also presents data tabulations taken from regular surveys on research and development (R&D) and S&T and made possible by the project.

Description:

Entry and exit are important phenomena. This paper reviews the evidence on the size of this process and its contribution to productivity and innovation. It then develops a detailed portrait of the characteristics of new firms that survive and those that fail. In doing so, it examines the type of competencies that are developed in both groups of firms. It asks which competencies are developed by new firms. In particular, it focuses on the innovative capabilities of new firms. It shows that small firms in general and entrants in particular are heterogeneous when it comes to their innovative activity. The types of innovative activity in which they are engaged vary widely. Some focus on research and development (R&D) and new products. Others focus on new technologies. Still others stress the development of human capital. In addition, this paper examines the competitive environment that new firms face and the connection between growth and innovation. It also examines the complementary skills that are employed by innovators. Finally, the paper focuses on the causes of failure in the firm population. It extends earlier work that finds that failing firms differ from surviving firms in terms of basic competencies-management, financial management and marketing capabilities.

Description:

The framework described here is intended as a basic operational instrument for systematic development of statistical information respecting the evolution of science and technology and its interactions with the society, the economy and the political system of which it is a part.

Description:

Innovation is at the heart of economic growth and development. It is through innovation that new products are brought to market, new production processes developed and organizational change realized. Given existing cross-industry variations in structure, competitiveness and maturity, it is reasonable to expect that firms in different industries will innovate for different reasons, in different ways and with different results. This report focuses on how the innovation activities of firms in three dynamic service industries are conditioned by their different environments.

Through an understanding of what competitive pressures come into play and how these pressures affect the type of innovation that is performed, Innovation in dynamic service industries goes some way in illustrating how innovation regimes differ substantially, and quite logically, from one industry to another.

This is the fifth in the series of publications on innovation and technological change in Canada. One of the earlier studies investigated the type of innovation taking place in the manufacturing sector (Baldwin and Da Pont, Innovation in Canadian manufacturing enterprises, Catalogue No. 88-513-XPB). Two others focused on advanced manufacturing technologies. The first (Baldwin and Sabourin, Technology adoption in Canadian manufacturing, Catalogue No. 88-512-XPB) outlined the intensity of use of these technologies. The second (Baldwin, Sabourin, and Rafiquzzaman, Benefits and problems associated with technology adoption, Catalogue No. 88-514-XPE) investigated the determinants of adoption. Another study (Baldwin, Innovation and intellectual property, Catalogue No. 88-515-XPE) examined how innovative firms protect their intellectual property after they have innovated.

Description:

Considerable attention has been directed at understanding the structural changes that are generating an increased need for skilled workers. These changes are perceived to be the result of developments associated with the emergence of the new knowledge economy, whose potential is often linked to the growth of new technology-based firms (NTBFs). Where are these firms to be found? Related work on changes in technology and innovativeness has been accompanied by the creation of taxonomies that classify industries as high-tech or high-knowledge, based primarily on the characteristics of large firms. There is a temptation to use these taxonomies to identify new technology-based firms only within certain sectors. This paper uses a special survey that collected data on new firms to argue that this would be unwise.

The paper investigates the limitations of existing classification schemes that might be used to classify industries as high- or low-tech, as advanced or otherwise. Characteristically unidimensional in scope, many of these taxonomies employ conceptual and operational measures that are narrow and incomplete. Consequently, previous rankings that identify sectors as high- or low-tech using these measures obscure the degree of innovativeness and human capital formation exhibited by certain industries. In a policy environment wherein emotive 'scoreboard' classifications have direct effects on resource allocation, the social costs of misclassification are potentially significant.

Using a comparative methodology, this study investigates the role that conceptualization plays in devising taxonomies of high- and low-tech industries. Far from producing definitive classifications, existing measures of technological advancement are found to be wanting when their underpinnings are examined closely. Our objective in the current analysis is to examine the limitations of standard classification schemes, particularly when applied to new small firms, and to suggest an alternative framework based on a competency-model of the firm.

Description:

This release provides data on the Research and development activities of the private nonprofit sector.

Description:

This study uses the results of the 1991 Survey of Research and Development in Canadian Industry to examine exchanges of funds between Canadian firms for R & D purposes. Through such exchanges of funds, Canadian companies form alliances that collectively constitute a network that fosters exchanges of knowledge. These networks are widely dispersed, covering the great majority of industrial activities.

Four case studies are presented. They reveal that different industries pursue different alliance strategies. R & D alliances in the information technology, business services, oil, and pulp and paper sectors are examined. The alliance strategies are diverse, encompassing vertical integration of large related firms, a collection of small companies providing services to all sectors, and industry-specific networks in which firms have their R & D performed by research institutes. Understanding R & D alliances helps shed some light on the intricacy of the national innovation system concept.

Description:

Human resources in science and technology are deemed to be important to Canada's economic growth because of the key role they play in the development and use of new technologies. To gain a better understanding of this group and its relation to industry, this paper examines its demographic structure, occupation and education profile as well as its working conditions. The analysis is based on data from the 1991 census of population. It reveals a picture of a well-educated, well-paid, middle-aged (25-44 years) professionals and managers who work full-time all year. The majority are male and have an educational specialization related to their scientific occupation. However, the correspondence between scientific education and occupation is not perfect. There are some who have a certain educational background but who work elsewhere, and there are some who work in scientific occupations without the typical educational profile. The distribution across occupations appears to be changing, with the younger generation moving towards mathematics and systems occupations and away from engineering and the natural and applied sciences. The profile of women differs from that of men in terms of their greater concentration in mathematics and systems occupations. Women in the oldest group have more varied specializations than men.

Description:

Canada has a service economy and research and development (R&D) in Canada is mainly a service sector activity. This paper examines the sectoral distribution of expenditure on R&D performance, with emphasis on the business sector in Canada and with international comparisons. The principal observation is the key role played by service industry firms in the performing and commissioning of R&D.

Description:

This table contains 24 series, with data for years 2014 - 2015 (not all combinations necessarily have data for all years). This table contains data described by the following dimensions (Not all combinations are available): Geography (1 item: Canada) Country of control (3 items: Total country of control; Canada; Foreign) Research and development expenditure groups (8 items: Total research and development expenditure groups; Less than $50,000; $50,000 to $99,999; $100,000 to $249,999; ...).

Description:

This table contains 20475 series, with data for years 2014 - 2015 (not all combinations necessarily have data for all years). This table contains data described by the following dimensions (Not all combinations are available): Geography (13 items: Newfoundland and Labrador; Prince Edward Island; Nova Scotia; New Brunswick; ...) North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) (75 items: Total all industries; Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting; Agriculture (except aquaculture) and support activities for crop production and animal production; Forestry, logging and support activities for forestry; ...) Country of control (3 items: Total country of control; Canada; Foreign) Research and development characteristics (7 items: Total in-house research and development expenditures; Total current in-house research and development expenditures in Canada; Total capital in-house research and development expenditures in Canada; Total in-house research and development personnel; ...).

Description:

This table contains 5400 series, with data for years 2014 - 2015 (not all combinations necessarily have data for all years). This table contains data described by the following dimensions (Not all combinations are available): Geography (1 item: Canada) North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) (75 items: Total all industries; Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting; Agriculture (except aquaculture) and support activities for crop production and animal production; Forestry, logging and support activities for forestry; ...) Country of control (3 items: Total country of control; Canada; Foreign) Sources of funds (24 items: Total sources of funds; Total Canada; Funds from Canadian business enterprise sector; Funds from research and development performing companies (Canada); ...).

Description: This table contains 9450 series, with data for years 2014 - 2015 (not all combinations necessarily have data for all years). This table contains data described by the following dimensions (Not all combinations are available): Geography (1 item: Canada) North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) (75 items: Total all industries; Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting; Agriculture (except aquaculture) and support activities for crop production and animal production; Forestry, logging and support activities for forestry; ...) Country of control (3 items: Total country of control; Canada; Foreign) Field of research and development (42 items: Total in-house research and development expenditures in Canada by field of research and development; Natural sciences and engineering; Natural and formal sciences, computer sciences, and information technology and bioinformatics; Mathematics; ...).

Description:

This table contains 900 series, with data for years 2014 - 2015 (not all combinations necessarily have data for all years). This table contains data described by the following dimensions (Not all combinations are available): Geography (1 item: Canada) North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) (75 items: Total all industries; Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting; Agriculture (except aquaculture) and support activities for crop production and animal production; Forestry, logging and support activities for forestry; ...) Country of control (3 items: Total country of control; Canada; Foreign) Nature of research and development (4 items: Total in-house research and development expenditures in Canada; Basic research; Applied research; Experimental development).

Description:

This table contains 1575 series, with data for years 2014 - 2015 (not all combinations necessarily have data for all years). This table contains data described by the following dimensions (Not all combinations are available): Geography (1 item: Canada) North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) (75 items: Total all industries; Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting; Agriculture (except aquaculture) and support activities for crop production and animal production; Forestry, logging and support activities for forestry; ...) Research and development expenditure type units (3 items: Total in-house and outsourced research and development expenditures; In-house research and development expenditures; Outsourced research and development expenditures) Results of research and development expenditures from previous three years (7 items: Any improvements selected; Goods; Services; Methods of manufacturing or producing goods or services; ...) .

Description:

This table contains 10125 series, with data for years 2014 - 2017 (not all combinations necessarily have data for all years). This table contains data described by the following dimensions (Not all combinations are available): Geography (1 item: Canada) North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) (75 items: Total all industries; Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting; Agriculture (except aquaculture) and support activities for crop production and animal production; Forestry, logging and support activities for forestry; ...) Country of control (3 items: Total country of control; Canada; Foreign) Location of recipients (3 items: Total location of recipients; Within Canada; Outside Canada) Sector of recipients (15 items: Total outsourced (contracted out or granted) payments for research and development performed by other organizations; Business enterprise sector; Parent, affiliated and subsidiary companies; Other companies; ...).

Description:

This table contains 30 series, with data for years 2014 - 2015 (not all combinations necessarily have data for all years). This table contains data described by the following dimensions (Not all combinations are available): Geography (1 item: Canada);  Country of control (3 items: Total country of control; Canada; Foreign);  Revenue groups (10 items: Total revenue groups; Less than $250,000; $250,000 to $999,999; $1,000,000 to $1,999,999; ...).

Description:

This table contains 33 series, with data for years 2014 - 2015 (not all combinations necessarily have data for all years). This table contains data described by the following dimensions (Not all combinations are available): Geography (1 item: Canada);  Country of control (3 items: Total country of control; Canada; Foreign);  Employment size (11 items: Total employment size; 1 to 4 employees; 5 to 9 employees; 10 to 19 employees; ...).

Description:

This table contains 24 series, with data for years 2014 - 2015 (not all combinations necessarily have data for all years). This table contains data described by the following dimensions (Not all combinations are available): Geography (1 item: Canada);  Country of control (3 items: Total country of control; Canada; Foreign);  Research and development expenditure groups (8 items: Total research and development expenditure groups; Less than $50,000; $50,000 to $99,999; $100,000 to $249,999; ...).

Description:

This document provides recent information on the performance and funding of Federal Government Expenditures on Scientific Activities, 1998-99.

Description:

In April 1996, the Economic Innovation and Technology Council (Manitoba) restructured its activities so that its three technical centres could work more effectively with the private sector.

Description:

This article seeks to shed light on the early careers of science and engineering graduates over the last decade in Canada. It examines the evolution of employment patterns, earnings levels and other employment indicators of recent graduates, as well as their ability to find meaningful and satisfying work and to set out on rewarding and productive careers. The analysis is based on three cohorts of the National Graduates Survey (NGS) databases, which consist of large, representative samples of Canadian university graduates who completed their programs in 1982, 1986 and 1990 respectively. Each group was interviewed two and five years after graduation.

Description:

This release provides data on the Research and development activities of the private non-profit sector.

Description: Industrial R&D expenditures for environmental protection represented 2% of total R&D expenditures in 1995. This small share, which has been maintained since 1990, is likely to be an underestimate due to those R&D investments mainly undertaken to improve production efficiency. In such cases, R&D expenditures on environmental protection would not be reported despite the additional benefits to the environment that may be achieved.

Description:

The analysis presented in this report is a joint project of the Bio-Industries Branch of Industry Canada and the Science and Technology Redesign Project of Statistics Canada.

Description:

Canada's economic competitiveness depends on scientific and technological development and also on the people responsible for this development, especially those engaged in research and development.

Description:

The debate over the appropriate function of government policy for research and development (R&D) subsidies brings into focus the different roles that are played by large and small firms in the innovation process. Small firms, it is often claimed, have different tendencies to use R&D facilities than large firms and, therefore, require the development of special programs that are directed at this sector. This paper examines the differences in the innovation profiles of small and large firms, and how R&D intensity and efficacy varies across different size classes. It investigates the contribution that R&D makes to success in the small and medium-sized population and the types of policies that small firms feel are the most appropriate to reduce the impediments to innovation that they face.

The paper finds a number of differences between large and small firms in the tendency to innovate and to use R&D facilities. Small firms can be divided into two groups. The first group consists of firms that resemble large firms in that they perform R&D and generate new products and processes primarily through their own efforts. The second are those who rely upon customers and suppliers for their sources of ideas for innovation. Large firms, by way of contrast, tend to rely more heavily on R&D. While they too rely on networks for ideas, their networks focus more heavily on relationships with other firms that belong to the same firm.

Most of the differences between small and large firms are explained by the fact that firms of different sizes specialize in different parts of the production process. Firms of different sizes serve different niches; they each have their own advantages. Small firms are more flexible but can suffer from cost disadvantages due to scale. They overcome their disadvantages by networking with their customers and by showing the same flexibility in their R&D process that they exhibit elsewhere. They rely less on dedicated R&D facilities and more on the flexible exploitation of R&D as opportunities arise. They also network with customers in order to adopt their suggestions for new innovations.

Description:

The Higher Education sector is composed of "all universities, colleges of technology and other institutes of post-secondary education, whatever their source of finance or legal status.

Description:

Research and development is defined as creative work undertaken on a systematic basis to increase the stock of scientific and technical knowledge and to use this knowledge in new applications.

Description: The purpose of this survey was to measure and develop a better understanding of the emerging contribution of biotechnology to the Canadian economy.

Description: The objective of the survey is to assure the availability of pertinent information to monitor science and technology related activities and to support the development of science and technology policy.

Description: The objective of the Survey of Advanced Technology is to collect important information about the extent to which Canadian enterprises use advanced technologies.

Description: The objective of the survey is to provide information on innovation, advanced technology and advanced practices being used in the construction and related industries.

Description: The survey provides information on companies developing new products and processes using biotechnologies.

Description: This survey is being conducted to measure the extent to which knowledge management practices are used or will be used by Canadian businesses.

Description: The objective of the survey is to produce new statistical information on the collection, use and disclosure of human genetic material in Canada.

Description: The objectives of the survey are to produce statistical information on the functional food and natural health product sector and a profile of firms engaged in functional food and/or natural health product related activities in Canada.

Description: The objective of this survey is to collect new statistical information on the nature and extent of product, process, marketing and organizational innovations in the Canadian food processing industry and on other emerging issues in the food processing industry;

Description: The 2015 Bioproducts Production and Development Survey collects information on the characteristics and activities of businesses in Canada that develop and/or produce bioproducts and that collect, separate or refine biomass used in bioproducts.