OECD Science, Technology and Industry Scoreboard 2009: Italy Highlights.
- Italian businesses finance only 40% of total R&D expenditures, against an average of 53% for OECD countries.
- In 2005-07 Italy had the lowest number of patents per capita (13 per million inhabitants) among G7 countries and one of the lowest in the OECD area.
- Over 1998-2008, the rate of labour productivity growth in Italy (0.4%) was the lowest among OECD countries. In 2007, the trade balance for high technology goods, including ICT goods, showed a significant deficit (-3.2% of manufacturing trade).
- International co-patenting – two or more inventors from different countries - and cross-border patents – the “owner” and the inventor from different countries - suggest that the involvement of Italy in international research activities is low. International and cross-border patents account for 14% and 7% of Italian patents, respectively, while the OECD average is above 20% for both indicators.
