Innovation and Development Around the World

This paper presents a database of indicators of innovative activity around the world since the early 1960s. The data include measures of innovation outcomes as well as variables related to innovation effort. The main indicator of innovation outputs is patents. The main variables related to innovation inputs are investment in research and development (R&D) and technical personnel (engineers, scientists) working in R&D activities. The sources of these data are publicly available (OECD, UNESCO, etc.), yet there have been few attempts at double checking the consistency of these data and digitizing observations dating back to the 1960s.

Data and Resources

Field Value
Groups
  • Affordable and Clean Energy
  • AmeriGEOSS
  • Global Provider
  • Sustainable Development Goals
Tags
  • AmeriGEO
  • AmeriGEOSS
  • Energy
  • GEO
  • GEOSS
  • Global
  • SDG
  • SDG7
  • World Bank
author_email data@worldbank.org
isopen False
license_id CC-BY-4.0
license_title CC-BY-4.0
metadata_created 2025-09-18T20:33:47.286579
metadata_modified 2025-10-16T20:46:55.548771
notes <p>This paper presents a database of indicators of innovative activity around the world since the early 1960s. The data include measures of innovation outcomes as well as variables related to innovation effort. The main indicator of innovation outputs is patents. The main variables related to innovation inputs are investment in research and development (R&amp;D) and technical personnel (engineers, scientists) working in R&amp;D activities. The sources of these data are publicly available (OECD, UNESCO, etc.), yet there have been few attempts at double checking the consistency of these data and digitizing observations dating back to the 1960s.</p>
num_resources 2
num_tags 9
title Innovation and Development Around the World
version None