Embodied Technology Diffusion in the Austrian Economy

To complement the traditional science and technology indicators, the OECD has been measuring the total research and development content of output flows for several years. This measure not only includes direct R&D expenditures, but also the R&D content of intermediate and investment goods, both domestic and imported. For the first time, computations of the total research and development content of output were carried out for the Austrian economy. The results are presented in this study. For a small open economy technology flows embodied in imports are particularly relevant. The fundamental change in the pattern of technology flows over the two decades examined provides an impressive picture of Austria's evolution towards a "knowledge-based economy".