Research and development activity (R&D)

National Statistical Institute

Statistics on Labour costs, Research and Development, Innovation and Information Society Department

Nadia Katerinkina

State expert

2, P. Volov Str.; 1038 Sofia, Bulgaria

[email protected]

+359 2 9857 167

The statistical survey on research and development activity (R&D) provides internationally comparable information about the characterization of resources (expenditure and personnel) on research and development in Bulgaria.

· Classification of economic activities (CEA-2008, for international use NACE.BG-2008);

· Fields of Research and Development (FORD) classification;

· Classification of territorial units for statistics in Bulgaria (NUTS).

R&D survey covers R&D performed in all four institutional sectors: Business enterprise (BES), Government (GOV), Higher education (HES), Private non-profit (PNP).

Research and experimental development (R&D) comprise creative and systematic work undertaken in order to increase the stock of knowledge - including knowledge of humankind, culture and society - and to devise new applications of available knowledge. R&D activity covers basic research, applied research and experimental development.

The indicator 'R&D expenditure' is defined as all expenditures for R&D performed within a statistical unit, whatever the source of funds. Total intramural R&D expenditure (GERD) comprises current costs and capital expenditure on R&D.

The indicator 'R&D personnel' measures the human resources going directly into R&D activity, responsible for creation, application and dissemination of new knowledge. R&D personnel include all persons engaged directly in R&D, as well as those providing direct support on R&D (R&D managers, administrators, technicians and clerical staff). R&D personnel comprise following categories:

· Researchers;

· Other R&D personnel.

Researchers are professionals engaged in the conception or creation of new knowledge. They conduct research and improve or develop concepts, theories, models, techniques instrumentation, software or operational methods.

Other R&D personnel comprise Technicians and Other supporting staff. Technicians participate in R&D by performing scientific and technical tasks involving the application of concepts and operational methods and the use of research equipment, normally under the supervision of researchers. Other supporting staff includes skilled and unskilled craftsmen, and administrative, secretarial and clerical staff participating in R&D projects or directly associated with such projects.

Enterprise.

R&D survey covers all scientific institutions and organizations, the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, the Agricultural Academy, higher education institutes, university hospitals, enterprises and other organizations, which irrespective of their main activity perform R&D as well - i.e. if at least one person of the personnel is engaged in R&D during the year.

Bulgaria.

Since 1996 - the last reference year.

Not applicable.

R&D survey.

Yearly.

Exhaustive survey for all enterprises and organizations performing R&D as a primary or secondary activity. Data are collected using a paper and electronic (on-line) questionnaire included in the annual reports on the activities of enterprises, budget organizations and financial institutions.

Data validation is done through arithmetic and logic control of input data and comparison of the output data with the results of previous R&D surveys and data from administrative sources.

The R&D survey is exhaustive survey and no estimates are made.

Not applicable.

Statistical practices used to compile R&D data are in compliance with Frascati Manual recommendations.

Quality assessment is based on standard quality criteria - relevance, accuracy and reliability, timeliness, comparability and coherence.

Main users of R&D data are ministries, research institutions and other users in the country, as well as Eurostat, OCDE and other international organizations.

User satisfaction survey is not conducted.

In accordance with Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1197 the required data completeness is ensured for all variables.

R&D data are produced in all required breakdowns for the obligatory variables according to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1197. Additional data breakdowns are also compiled in order to satisfy user needs.

The statistical data are of good accuracy and reliability.

The survey is exhaustive and there are no sampling errors.

The survey is exhaustive and there are no sampling errors.

There are no indications for coverage errors.

There is no over-coverage.

Not applicable.

In order to minimize the measurement errors, because of misunderstanding of the respondents, R&D questionnaire is attended with methodological explanatory notes in line with Frascati Manual recommendations.

Actions to reduce the non-response include telephone calls and e-mails to the respondents for collection of data.

Unit non-response error is 8.2%.

There is not item non-response error.

Processing errors are negligible due to extensive arithmetic and logical checking control of data.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Preliminary data - 10 months after the end of the reference period.

Final data - 14 months after the end of the reference period.

Preliminary data - 10 months after the end of the reference period.

Final data - 14 months after the end of the reference period.

Deadlines for R&D data delivery, specified in the Release Calendar, are strictly respected.

R&D data are published at the date specified in the Release Calendar presenting the results of the statistical surveys carried out by the NSI.

Data for Bulgaria are comparable with the data for the rest EU member states.

Not applicable.

Data are comparable over time.

R&D data are coherent with data obtained from the Innovation survey.

Not applicable.

R&D data are used for estimation of capitalization of R&D expenditure in the national accounts.

No significant deviations between preliminary and final R&D data.

News release on the basis of preliminary data from the survey.

· Statistical Yearbook;

· Statistical Reference book;

· 'Bulgaria'(brochure).

Data are available for all users on the NSI website and on NSI information system INFOSTAT under the heading R&D, Innovation and Information Society. 

Micro data are neither distributed nor provided to the users.

Information service on request, according to the Rules for dissemination of statistical products and services of NSI.

Methodological manual 'Frascati' (Guidelines for Collecting and Reporting Data on Research and Experimental Development - Frascati Manual, OECD, 2015), adopted by Eurostat for statistical surveys on R&D.

Quality reports on R&D statistics.

Not applicable.

• Law on Statistics;
• Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 on European statistics (recital 24 and Article 20(4)) of 11 March 2009 (OJ L 87, p. 164), stipulates the need to establish common principles and guidelines ensuring the confidentiality of data used for the production of European statistics and the access to those confidential data with due account for technical developments and the requirements of users in a democratic society.

The individual (primary) data are confidential according to the Law on Statistics and European legislation. To ensure their protection and inability to be identified, the aggregated indicators are also defined as confidential when the indicator is calculated from one or two enterprises or one enterprise formed more than 85% of the total value of this indicator.