In 2023, Germany leads with 5.22 million persons employed in high- and medium-high R&D intensive activities, followed by South Korea at 3.07 million, showing a robust year-on-year increase of 1.17% in South Korea compared to 1.06% in Germany. The United Kingdom, Poland, and Spain trail with Poland showing the highest growth at 1.59% YoY. Negative growth is noted in Sweden and Greece, at -0.045% and -0.91% respectively. The five-year compound annual growth rates suggest a strong upward trend in Poland, but a contraction in Finland and Greece.
Future trends to watch include:
- The potential impact of digital transformation and advances in AI technologies, which could further increase R&D employment, particularly in traditionally strong countries like Germany and South Korea.
- Geopolitical shifts and policy changes in major economies that may affect investment in R&D and subsequently influence employment figures in this sector.
- The role of importing talent and remote work policies, which might drive employment figures in countries currently underrepresented in these statistics.
Top countries in Number of Persons Employed in High- and Medium-High (3-Digit Definition) R&D Intensive Activities by Country
| # | 10 Countries | Thousand Units (Persons) | Last Year | YoY | 5-years CAGR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 Germany | 5,220 | 2023 | +0.93% | +1.06% | View data |
| 2 | 2 South Korea | 3,070 | 2023 | +1.11% | +1.17% | View data |
| 3 | 3 United Kingdom | 1,960 | 2023 | +1.06% | +0.78% | View data |
| 4 | 4 Poland | 1,380 | 2023 | +1.65% | +1.59% | View data |
| 5 | 5 Spain | 987.9 | 2023 | +0.73% | +0.46% | View data |
| 6 | 6 Czech Republic | 804.34 | 2023 | +1.19% | +1.13% | View data |
| 7 | 7 Switzerland | 455.92 | 2023 | +0.36% | +0.28% | View data |
| 8 | 8 Sweden | 448 | 2023 | +0.22% | -0.045% | View data |
| 9 | 9 Slovakia | 270.81 | 2023 | +1.24% | +1.07% | View data |
| 10 | 10 Finland | 204.7 | 2023 | +0.098% | -0.24% | View data |
