Measurement of a National R&D Sector: Example of Russia

Data analysis has been gaining complexity over time due to raising amount of data, increasing role of data in decision making processes and demanding requirements to measurements. Measurement of R&D system presents additional challenges due to (1) increasing complexity of STI field caused by rapid technological changes, disruptive innovations and emergence of new markets and (2) globalization of technologies. Another challenge raises from differences in approaches and attitudes to analysis between researchers (statisticians, analysts) and actual policy makers – politicians. While researchers approach measurement of R&D system from a statistical point of view, focusing on data gathering, correct use of it, mathematically accurate calculations (bottom-up approach), actual policy makers do it in a different way, focusing first on an R&D problem (top-down approach). This study focuses on systematizing the best international practices of using indicators for monitoring and analyzing development of national R&D system for further decision-making processes, so that both researchers and policy makers could have a mutual understanding of R&D problem areas and possible ways to analyze them. R&D-related indicators and empirical illustrations from various high-quality national reports are gathered and systematized by R&D problem areas, presenting sets of indicators that can be used for measuring given R&D problem areas. The paper may be of practical use to statisticians, analysts, innovation managers and people involved in policy setting in the R&D sector. The study provides a systemic view on the best international practices of measuring and visualizing indicators and a holistic view on R&D problem areas and possible ways to measure their main aspects from different perspectives. Key words: Research and Development, R&D, R&D system, measurement, indicators, R&D indicators, STI indicators, evidence-based policy making, EBPM