In most of EU countries, at least one in two enterprises with technological innovation makes use of supporting training activities.

Education and training is an essential lever for achieving the objectives of Europe 2020. The targeted smart growth particularly relies on knowledge and innovation in enterprises..

The Community Innovation Survey collects information on innovation activity in enterprises. Enterprises in core innovation sectors with specifically technological innovation also report on possible activities carried out to support such innovation. One of those activities is the training of personnel specifically aimed at the development of innovative products or processes.

 

 

 

 Key points

  • Enterprises’ engagement in technological innovation largely varies across European countries. It is highest in Germany and Portugal (where respectively 63% and 50% of all enterprises engage in technological innovation). High incidence of enterprises with technological innovation is also reported in Belgium, Estonia, Finland, Luxembourg, Ireland and Sweden (shares between 45% and 50%). On the contrary, enterprises engagement in technological innovation is lowest in, Bulgaria, Lithuania, Slovakia, Hungary, Latvia, Poland and Romania (shares less than 25%). 
  • Enterprises with technological innovation often provide their staff with specific training to support such innovation. In 15 out of 23 EU countries for which data are available, more than 40% of enterprises with technological innovation also engage in training activities aimed at supporting such innovation.
  • Whereas enterprises in Cyprus and Luxembourg make extensive use of training to support their technological innovation (respectively 98% and 85%), such training is only used by less than 25% of enterprises in Bulgaria and Spain.
  • In general, enterprises’ provision of training aimed at technological innovation is high in many countries. More than 50% of enterprises with technological innovation in Belgium, Austria, Slovakia, Germany, Portugal, France and Poland implement supporting training activities (shares range from 54% to 63%). In Slovenia, Czech Republic, Lithuania, Hungary, Estonia and Italy,, shares range from 45% to 49%.
  • Enterprises’ provision of training aimed at technological innovation is smaller in Finland, Netherlands, Malta, Romania, Latvia and Sweden. However, it is used in at least 30% of all enterprises with technological innovation.

 

Note:

The indicator refers to the percentage of all enterprises that have engaged in technological innovation and that have provided training to their staff to support such technological innovation (in the period 2006-08).
Data presented here refer to enterprises with 10 or more employees that are active in core innovation sectors (activities B, C, D, E, G46, H, J58, J61, J62, J63, K and M71 of the NACE Rev.2 classification).
Technological innovation refers to product or process innovations (i.e. the introduction of new or significantly improved product s or processes). Technological innovation excludes marketing and organisational innovation.
Training refers to internal or external training of personnel specifically aimed at supporting technological innovation.
Data originated from the 2008 Community Innovation Survey (CIS 2008) and are subjected to its methodology.