Innovation in Companies Survey

• 1Contact
  • 1.1Contact organisation
    National Statistics Institute of Spain
    
  • 1.5Contact mail address

    Avenida de Manoteras 50-52 - 28050 Madrid

    
    
• 2Metadata update
  • 2.1Metadata last certified
    15/12/2025
  • 2.2Metadata last posted
    18/12/2025
  • 2.3Metadata last update
    15/12/2025
• 3Statistical presentation
  • 3.1Data description

    The main objective of the Survey on Innovation in Companies is to offer direct information regarding the innovation process in companies, compiling indicators that enable ascertaining the different aspects of this process (economic impact, innovative activities, cost, etc.). This large-scale study, apart from providing rich and varied information on the technological innovation process, may serve as the base framework for diverse specific studies on other aspects related to science and technology.

    Its methodology follows the Guidelines proposed by the OECD for the collection and interpretation of data on innovation, better known as the Oslo Manual. From 2018, the survey uses the fourth edition of Oslo Manual, it can be followed in the link https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/science-and-technology/oslo-manual-2018_9789264304604-en?itemId=/content/publication/9789264304604-en&mimeType=text/html&_csp_=f0a6f52d4530c0667c4c56b36905227f&itemIGO=oecd&itemContentType=book.

    The fact of using a methodology that is widely accepted on an international level enables reaching the objective of the international comparability of the results obtained, and providing our national experience in the study of innovation.

     

    IMPORTANT NOTE ON THE STATISTICAL CONCEPT OF 'ENTERPRISE':

    In accordance with the European Statistical System, for 2022 the Survey on Innovation in Companies have implemented a new practical application of the statistical concept of 'Enterprise'. The reasons and details of the adaptation of the statistical concept of the Enterprise were announced by the INE in a Press Release of December 17, 2019.

    Under this new approach, an Enterprise can be formed by one or several Legal Units, and in the latter case, the Statistical Enterprise will condense the economic and employment variables of the Legal Units that comprise it. This criterion differs from that previously applied, by which each separate Legal Unit was considered a business. Although the new approach affects only Legal Units that are part of business groups -which are highly relevant entities in terms of economics and employment- the statistical results of the Survey on Innovation in Companies and its distribution by activities and sizes is affected. So that users can compare the Survey on Innovation in Companies​ data under the traditional approach (based on separate Legal Units) and the new approach (based on Statistical Enterprises), for the 2022 reference period the INE has released both versions of the statistical results.

    Since the reference period 2024, for the purposes of disseminating results, only the version based on Statistical Enterprises prevails.

  • 3.2Classification system
    • Clasificaciones utilizadas

      The survey uses the National Classification of Economic Activities, CNAE-2009, for encoding the activities of the companies, processing and disseminating their data.

  • 3.3Sector coverage

    This statistical research extends to all agricultural, industrial, construction and services companies with at least ten paid employees, whose main economic activity corresponds to the following activity groups of CNAE-2009:
    - Agriculture, livestock breeding, forestry and fishing (01 to 03)
    - Extractive industries (05 to 09)
    - Manufacturing industry (10 to 33)
    - Supply of electrical energy, gas, steam and air conditioning (35)
    - Supply of water, sewerage activities, waste management and decontamination (36 to 39)
    - Construction (41 to 43)
    - Trade (45 to 47)
    - Transport and storage (49 to 53)
    - Catering (55 to 56)
    - Information and communications (58 to 63)
    - Financial and insurance activities (64 to 66)
    - Real estate activities (68)
    - Professional, scientific and technical activities (69 to 75)
    - Administrative and support services activities (77 to 82)
    - Health and social services activities (86 to 88)
    - Artistic, recreational and entertainment activities (90 to 93)
    - Other services (95 to 96)

  • 3.4Statistical concepts and definitions
    • Economic activity
      The economic activity carried out by a company is defined as the creation of added value by means of the production of goods and services.
      
      Each one of the statistical units (companies) studied frequently carries out various activities that should be classified in separate classes of the National Classification of Economic Activities. In general, the activities carried out by an economic unit may be of three types: main, secondary and auxiliary activities. The main activity differs from secondary activities in that it generates greater added value; whilst auxiliary activities are those that generate services that are not sold on the market and that only serve the unit on which they depend (administration departments, transport services or storage).
      
      Due to the difficulties faced by companies in calculating added value when various activities are carried out, the activity which generates the greatest volume of business is considered the main activity or, failing that, that which employs the greatest number of persons.
    • Main economic activity code
      The companies in the CCD present the encoded main activity according to the CNAE-2009 Classification. For the purposes of use, different levels are used, depending on the number of categories considered
    • Economic activity
      The economic activity carried out by a company is defined as the creation of added value through the production of goods and services.
      The main economic activity is understood to be that which generates greatest added value. Facing the difficulty of calculated the added value for those companies that perform several activities, this considers the main activity to be that which generates the greatest turnover, or failing this, that which occupies the most employees.
      The classification used in the National Classification of Economic Activities (CNAE-2009), prepared according to the conditions set out in the Regulation passing NACE Rev.2. This classification serves to determine who is carrying out the research.
      In the case of research associations and companies whose main activity is the performance of R&D activities, mainly at the service of a given company or group of companies, units with CNAE 7211, 7219 or 7220; information is also requested on the main activity of those companies or groups of companies that benefit from their R&D activities, and their results will be computed within the branch of activity benefited by the research
    • Marketing and brand equity activities as an innovation activity
      Marketing activities for existing products are only innovation activities if the marketing practice is itself an innovation. For many companies only a small fraction of marketing expenditures is likely to be linked to product innovations introduced within the observation period. Relevant innovation activities include preliminary market research, market tests, launch advertising, and the development of pricing mechanisms and product placement methods for product innovations. In some cases, the advantages of a business process innovation could also be marketed, for instance if the business process innovation has environmental benefits or improves product quality.
    • Innovation activities
      They include all developmental, financial and commercial activities undertaken by a firm that are intended to result in an innovation for the firm.
    • Intellectual property- related activities as an innovation activity
      IP activities for ideas, inventions and new or improved products or business processes developed during the observation period are innovation activities. Examples include activities to apply for IP rights for an innovation or for an invention, licensing-in the right to use an invention or an innovation, or licensing-out IP for inventions and innovations. All IP activities for inventions made before the observation period and for products and business processes that existed before the observation period should be excluded.
    • Acquisition or lease of tangible assets for innovation
      The acquisition or lease of tangible assets can be innovation activities in their own right, such as when a firm purchases or leases equipment with significantly different characteristics than the existing equipment that it uses for its business processes. The acquisition of tangible capital goods is generally not an innovation activity if it is for replacement or capital-widening investments that are unchanged, or if it consists of only minor changes compared to the firm¿s existing stock of tangible capital.
    • Turnover
      This includes the total amounts invoiced by the observation unit, during the reference period, for the sales of goods and services supplied to third parties, considering both those carried out directly by the observation unit itself, and those from temporary outsourcing.
      
      These sales of goods or services are accounted for in net terms, that is, including the charges to the client (transport, packages, etc.), though invoiced separately, but deducting the discount on sales for early payment, returns of sales or the value of returned packages, as well as taxes on sales. This includes taxes and fees on goods or services invoiced by the unit, but excludes the VAT paid by the client.
      
      From an administrative point of view, the General Accounting Plan (PGC) (RD 1514/2007, of 16 November) defines the Total net value of turnover, using the following accounting items: C700+C701+C702+C703+C704+C705-C706-C708-C709 with:
      
      C700. Sales of merchandise
      C701. Sales of finished products
      C702. Sales of semi-finished products
      C703. Sales of sub-products and waste
      C704. Sales of packages and packaging
      C705. Provision of services
      C706. Discount on sales for early payment
      C708. Returns of sales and similar transactions
      C709. "Taxes" on sales
      
      Therefore, turnover includes neither subsidies nor other operating income. It also excludes financial and extraordinary income, and other income that affects the results of the fiscal year.
    • Software development and database activities as innovation activity
      Software development is an innovation activity when used to develop new or improved business processes or products, such as computer games, logistical systems, or software to integrate business processes. Database activities are an innovation activity when used for innovation,such as analyses of data on the properties of materials or customer preferences.
    • Dimension or size of the company
      This dimension may be established by considering the magnitude of turnover, or by considering the number of persons that constitute the company workforce.
    • Company
      The company is the smallest combination of legal units that is an organizational unit producing goods or
      services, which benefits from a certain degree of autonomy in decision-making, especially for the
      allocation of its current resources. A company carries out one or more activities at one or more
      locations. A company may be a sole legal unit.
    • Innovating company
      A company is considered to be innovating when it carries out, during the analized period, technological and non-technological innovations, that is, product, process, marketing or organisational innovations.
    • Engineering, design and other creative work as an innovation activity:
      Most design and other creative work are innovation activities, with the exception of minor design changes that do not meet the requirements for an innovation, such as producing an existing product in a new colour. Identifying the use of design thinking methodologies by firms can help to differentiate minor design changes from innovation activities. Many engineering activities are not innovation activities, such as day-to-day production and quality control procedures for existing processes. Engineering activities for reverse engineering, or to alter or introduce new production processes, services or delivery methods, may or may not be an innovation activity, depending on whether these activities are conducted for innovation or for other reasons.
    • An innovation
      It is a new or improved product or process (or combination thereof) that differs significantly from the unit¿s previous products or processes and that has been made available to potential users (product) or brought into use by the unit (process).
      An innovation can be a product innovation or a business process innovation.
    • Innovación de marketing
      Es la innovación no tecnológica consistente en la implementación de nuevos métodos de mercado que impliquen cambios en lo que el Manual de Oslo llama (las 4Ps):
      o Product (diseño o empaquetado)
      o Price (estrategias de precios)
      o Promotion
      o Placement
      - La innovación de diseño o empaquetado (product) se refiere a todas aquellas innovaciones que tengan como objetivo ampliar el mercado pero no las variaciones en el uso del producto. Ejemplo: cambio de sabor en los yogures o cambio de envase en la leche.
      - La innovación en estrategias de precios (price) se refiere a las variaciones que realiza una empresa en los precios de sus productos con el objetivo de ampliar el mercado. Ejemplo: marcas blancas.
      - La innovación en la promoción (promotion) es la implementación de nuevos métodos en la forma de publicitar un producto. Ejemplo: la introducción de publicidad en las series de televisión.
      - La innovación en los lugares de venta (placement) es la implementación de nuevos métodos en los canales de distribución en los productos.
    • Innovación de organización
      Es la innovación no tecnológica consistente en la implementación de un nuevo método organizativo en las prácticas de negocios de la empresa, la organización del lugar de trabajo o las relaciones externas.
      
      Ejemplo: redistribución de tareas de los empleados, cualquier práctica de formación para el trabajador, convenios con otras empresas, etc.
      
      Esto puede afectar a la comparativa de datos pues es de esperar que haya trasvases de unos tipos de innovación a otros al encontrar las empresas mejor encuadradas sus actividades en los nuevos tipos de innovación. Un ejemplo de este aspecto puede ser la introducción de un cambio de sabor, que antes era considerada una innovación de producto, con el nuevo Manual si este cambio de sabor no modifica el uso y lo único que pretende es aumentar el número de consumidores, se considerará innovación de marketing.
    • A product innovation
      It is a new or improved good or service that differs significantly
      from the firm¿s previous goods or services and that has been introduced on the market.
    • A business process innovation
      It is a new or improved business process for one or more business functions that differs significantly from the firm¿s revious business processes and that has been brought into use by the firm.
    • Innovation intensity
      The quotient between expenditure on activities for technological innovation and turnover.
    • Employee training as an innovation activity
      Employee training activities for the use of existing products or business processes, the upgrading of general skills, or language training are not innovation activities. Examples of training as an innovation activity include training personnel to use innovations, such as new software logistical systems or new equipment; and training relevant to the implementation of an innovation, such as instructing personnel or customers on the features of a product innovation. Employee training that is required to develop an innovation, such as training for R&D or for design, are respectively part of R&D activities or part of engineering, design and other creative work.
    • Personal no remunerado
      El personal ocupado no remunerado está constituido por las personas que trabajan con regularidad en la unidad de observación y no perciben una remuneración en forma de sueldo, salario, comisión, gratificación, destajo o en especie.
    • Personal ocupado
      Se corresponde con el número total de personas que trabajan en la unidad de observación (incluidos los propietarios que trabajan, los socios que trabajan con regularidad en la unidad y los familiares no retribuidos que trabajan con regularidad en la unidad) y el de personas que, aunque trabajan fuera de la unidad, pertenecen a ella y son retribuidas por ella (por ejemplo, los representantes de comercio, el personal de mensajería y los equipos de reparación y mantenimiento que trabajan por cuenta de la unidad de observación). Incluye tanto al personal remunerado como al no remunerado.
    • Personal remunerado
      Son las personas que trabajan para un empresario, tienen un contrato de trabajo y perciben una remuneración en forma de sueldo, salario, comisión, gratificación, destajo o en especie (deben incluirse todas las personas cuyos pagos se registran en el epígrafe "Costes de personal" en la cuenta de pérdidas y ganancias de la empresa, incluso cuando, en algunos casos, no exista contrato de trabajo).
  • 3.5Statistical unit

    The basic statistical unit for this operation is the enterprise, which is understood as “the smallest combination of legal units that is an organizational unit producing goods or services, which benefits from a certain degree of autonomy in decision-making, especially for the allocation of its current resources. An enterprise carries out one or more activities at one or more locations. An enterprise may be a sole legal unit “’ (definition of the Regulation of the European Union 696/93).

    As previously explained in section 3.1, a new operational concept for 'Enterprise' is applied for the Survey on Innovation in Companies 2022, which we will hereinafter call the Statistical Enterprise and which differs from previous years in that, beginning this year, the Enterprise = Legal Unit analogy will no longer always be true. In other words, some Statistical Enterprises may be made up of two or more Legal Units.

     

    The reporting unit , or rather, the unit from which the basic information is obtained is the Legal Unit. Given that it is perfectly defined and located and has accounting and employment data, the answer is facilitated and homogeneous information is obtained. The Legal Units can be legal persons (mercantile enterprises) or physical persons (individual entrepreneurs).

     

     

    And so:

    • Under the Legal Unit approach as a statistical unit, the information is obtained from the Legal Units, and the statistics are prepared under said Legal Units.
    • Under the Statistical enterprise approach as a statistical unit, the information is obtained from each of the Legal Units that make up the enterprise, and the statistics are prepared by grouping (and where necessary, consolidating) the variables of all the Legal Units that make up the the enterprise.
  • 3.6Statistical population

    The population scope of the survey extends to all agricultural, industrial, construction and services companies with at least ten paid employed persons, and located in the country, whose main economic activity corresponds to the following activity groupings of CNAE-2009:

    - Agriculture, livestock breeding, forestry and fishing (branches 01 to 03)
    - Extractive industries (branches 05 to 09)
    - Manufacturing industry (branches 10 to 33)
    - Supply of electrical energy, gas, steam and air conditioning (branch 35)
    - Supply of water, sewerage activities, waste management and decontamination (branches 36 to 39)
    - Construction (branches 41 to 43)
    - Trade (branches 45 to 47)
    - Transport and accommodation (branches 49 to 53)
    - Catering (branches 55 to 56)
    - Information and communications (branches 58 to 63)
    - Financial and insurance activities (branches 64 to 66)
    - Real estate activities (branch 68)
    - Professional, scientific and technical activities (branches 69 to 75)
    - Administrative and support services activities (branches 77 to 82)
    - Health and social services activities (branches 86 to 88)
    - Artistic, recreational and entertainment activities (branches 90 to 93)
    - Other services (branches 95 to 96)

  • 3.7Reference area

    From a geographical point of view, the survey covers the whole of the national territory.

    Main variables are dissagregated by region.

  • 3.8Time coverage

    The survey is carried out every two years since 2020. There are results available for it starting with reference year 1998.

  • 3.9Base period

    The Technological Innovation in Companies Survey has results, according to National Classification of Economic Activities 2009 (CNAE-2009), as of reference year 2008.

    For the 2022 reference period, the new practical application of the statistical concept of 'enterprise' was implemented. This change affects the statistical results of the operation, and its distribution by activities and sizes. So that users can compare the operation data under the traditional approach (based on separate Legal Units) and the new approach (based on Statistical enterprises), for the 2021 reference period the INE has released both versions of the statistical results .

    Since the reference year 2024, only the version based on Statistical enterprises prevails.

• 4Unit of measure
  • 4.1Unit of measure

    - Expenditure on activities for technological innovation: thousands of euros

    - Innovating companies: number and percentage

• 5Reference period
  • 5.1Reference period

    There are two time reference periods in the Technological Innovation in Companies Survey:

    - The main reference period of the statistics is the year immediately prior to their execution.

    - Nevertheless, the variables related to technological innovations implemented by companies refer to the three years prior to the compilation of the statistics, with the objective of international comparability.

    Data referred to the period: Anual A: 2024

• 6Institutional mandate
  • 6.1Legal acts and other agreements

    The compilation and dissemination of the data are governed by the Statistical Law No. 12/1989 "Public Statistical Function" of May 9, 1989, and Law No. 4/1990 of June 29 on “National Budget of State for the year 1990" amended by Law No. 13/1996 "Fiscal, administrative and social measures" of December 30, 1996, makes compulsory all statistics included in the National Statistics Plan. The National Statistical Plan 2009-2012 was approved by the Royal Decree 1663/2008. It contains the statistics that must be developed in the four year period by the State General Administration's services or any other entity dependent on it. All statistics included in the National Statistics Plan are statistics for state purposes and are obligatory. The National Statistics Plan 2025-2028, approved by Royal Decree 1225/2024, of  3 December, is the Plan currently implemented. This statistical operation has governmental purposes, and it is included in the National Statistics Plan 2025-2028. (Statistics of the State Administration).

    
    

    "European Parliament and Council Decision no. 1608/2003/EC, of 22 July 2002, regarding the production and development of community statistics on science and technology" https://www.ine.es/normativa/leyes/UE/minine.htm#30061

  • 6.2Data sharing
    The exchanges of information needed to elaborate statistics between the INE and the rest of the State statistical offices (Ministerial Departments, independent bodies and administrative bodies depending on the State General Administration), or between these offices and the Autonomic statistical offices, are regulated in the LFEP (Law of the Public Statistic Function). This law also regulates the mechanisms of statistical coordination, and concludes cooperation agreements between the different offices when necessary.
    

    -

• 7Confidentiality
  • 7.1Confidentiality - policy

    The Statistical Law No. 12/1989 specifies that the INE cannot publish, or make otherwise available, individual data or statistics that would enable the identification of data for any individual person or entity. Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 on European statistics stipulates the need to establish common principles and guidelines ensuring the confidentiality of data used for the production of European statistics and the access to those confidential data with due account for technical developments and the requirements of users in a democratic society

    
    
  • 7.2Confidentiality - data treatment
    INE provides information on the protection of confidentiality at all stages of the statistical process: INE questionnaires for the operations in the national statistical plan include a legal clause protecting data under statistical confidentiality. Notices prior to data collection announcing a statistical operation notify respondents that data are subject to statistical confidentiality at all stages. For data processing, INE employees have available the INE data protection handbook, which specifies the steps that should be taken at each stage of processing to ensure reporting units' individual data are protected. The microdata files provided to users are anonymised.
    

    The questionnaire send to the collaborating units informs them that "The personal data that the statistical services obtain, both directly from the respondents and through administrative sources, shall be subject to protection, and covered by statistical secrecy (article 13.1 of the Law on Public Statistical Services of May 9 1989, (LFEP)). All statistical personnel shall be obligated to preserve statistical secrecy (article 17.1 of the LFEP)”.

• 8Release policy
  • 8.1Release calendar

    The advance release calendar that shows the precise release dates for the coming year is disseminated in the last quarter of each year.

    
    
  • 8.2Release calendar access

    The calendar is disseminated on the INEs Internet website (Publications Calendar)

    
    
  • 8.3User access

    The data are released simultaneously according to the advance release calendar to all interested parties by issuing the press release. At the same time, the data are posted on the INE's Internet website (www.ine.es/en) almost immediately after the press release is issued. Also some predefined tailor-made requests are sent to registered users. Some users could receive partial information under embargo as it is publicly described in the European Statistics Code of Practice

    
    
• 9Frequency of dissemination
  • 9.1Frequency of dissemination

    The survey is disseminated every two years.

• 10Accessibility and clarity
  • 10.1News release

    The results of the statistical operations are normally disseminated by using press releases that can be accessed via both the corresponding menu and the Press Releases Section in the web

    
    
  • 10.2Publications

    The results of the survey are disseminated via the INE website, and some results are included in publications such as the Statistical Yearbook, INE Figures, etc.

  • 10.3On-line database

    INEbase is the system the INE uses to store statistical information on the Internet. It contains all the information the INE produces in electronic formats. The primary organisation of the information follows the theme-based classification of the Inventory of Statistical Operations of the State General Administration . The basic unit of INEbase is the statistical operation, defined as the set of activities that lead to obtaining statistical results on a determined sector or subject based on the individually collected data. Also included in the scope of this definition are synthesis preparation.

    
    

    Access to tables and time series in INEbase, within the "Science and Technology" section in www.ine.es

    https://www.ine.es/dyngs/INEbase/es/operacion.htm?c=Estadistica_C&cid=1254736176755&menu=ultiDatos&idp=1254735576669

    No. of data table queries: AC1=120,455 queries in 2024.

    No. of  metadata queries:  AC2=1,092.

  • 10.4Micro-data access
    A lot of statistical operations disseminate public domain anonymized files, available free of charge for downloading in the INE website Microdata Section
    

    Any researcher who wants access to the microdata must sign an agreement with the National Statistics institute, for access for statistical purposes, by the research personnel, to the confidential data from the INE. The agreement describes the project, and the need to access said microdata, specifies the period during which the research time would work in the INE, provides the name of the research team and establishes the agreement clauses, including the statistical confidentiality clause.

    This access is made through the so-called Secure Places, which consist of computers where said databases are available, and which verify a series of physical and technological provisions to protect the security and integrity of the statistical databases, which in practice implies that strict protocols are applied to those external users who wish to access the microdata for research purposes. Secure Places are available, not only in the Central Services of the INE, but also in the Provincial Delegations.

  • 10.5Other

    There is the possibility of requesting customised information from the INE User Care Department. At the time of processing said requests, this considers limitations regarding confidentiality or precision.

    See: https://www.ine.es/ss/Satellite?L=1&c=Page&cid=1254735550786&p=1254735550786&pagename=ProductosYServicios%2FPYSLayout&rendermode=previewnoinsitem

  • 10.6Documentation on methodology

    For a detailed description of the methods and concepts used, as well as of other documents related to the Technological Innovation in Companies Survey, see the following link:
    https://www.ine.es/dyngs/INEbase/es/operacion.htm?c=Estadistica_C&cid=1254736176755&menu=metodologia&idp=1254735576669

    The metadata completeness rate, AC3, is the ratio of the amount of metadata elements supplied to the total number of elements in the standardised methodological report.

    Metadata completeness rate, AC3=100%, as all the fields in the methodological file are filled in.

  • 10.7Quality documentation

    Based on European Commission (Eurostat) Regulation no. 995/2012, it assesses the quality of the data transmitted, and publishes reports regarding the quality of European Statistics. To this end, each country provides a quality report within the 20 months following the end of the year.

    Fields 10.6 to 17.2 from this document are the quality report oriented toward users for this operation.

• 11Quality management
  • 11.1Quality assurance

    Quality assurance framework for the INE statistics is based on the ESSCoP, the European Statistics Code of Practice made by EUROSTAT. The ESSCoP is made up of 16 principles, gathered in three areas: Institutional Environment, Processes and Products. Each principle is associated with some indicators which make possible to measure it. In order to evaluate quality, EUROSTAT provides different tools: the indicators mentioned above, Self-assessment based on the DESAP model, peer review, user satisfaction surveys and other proceedings for evaluation.

    
    

    In order to guarantee quality information, the information received is processing following the steps listed below:

    - Control and manual filtering of the questionnaires by the units involved in the information collection, with the objective of recovering the possible lack of data, or of correcting errors in the questionnaires before they are recorded.

    - Interactive recording with filtering and correction of the errors in the information obtained by the units involved in the information collection.

    - Control of the information received by the unit responsible for the survey.

    - Control of the scope and processing of identification errors.

    - Validation of the quality of the information.

    - Imputation of the partial non-response.

    - Filtering and interaction correction of inconsistencies in the validated information.

    - Preparation of a first phase of results analysis tables.

    - Macro-publishing of the main aggregates to correct the errors not detected in the previous micro-filtering phase.

    - Data analysis.

    - Creation of the final data file.

    - Obtaining final results tables in the unit responsible for the survey, compiled using the final data file.

  • 11.2Quality assessment

    The following may be cited as being among the main strengths of this survey:

    1) Quick collection, analysis and publication of the results, in such a way that the publication of the latter is carried out within the 12 months following the end of the reference period.

    2) As a survey that has been conducted annually since 2002, a comprehensive follow-up may be performed of the data, so that possible inconsistencies therein may be detected, as well as obtaining a time series that is consistent over time.

    3) In recent years, an effort has been made to collect the information online, in such a way that its completion is enabled.

    4) Obtaining high response rates.

• 12Relevance
  • 12.1User needs

    Among the survey users are the following:

    · Ministries and other public bodies.
    · Territorial administrations (Autonomous Communities, municipal councils, etc.).
    · Companies and non-profit institutions.
    · Researchers and universities.
    · Individuals.

    Each of these users has different needs, according to the destination and use of the information they require.

    Worth noting among user uses is the "Annual Report: Technology and Innovation in Spain", published by COTEC using the data provided by the INE. On an international level, of particular note are the Eurostat publications, with information on a European level.

  • 12.2User satisfaction

    The INE has carried out general user satisfaction surveys in 2007, 2010, 2013,  2016 and 2019 and it plans to continue doing so every three years. The purpose of these surveys is to find out what users think about the quality of the information of the INE statistics and the extent to which their needs of information are covered. In addition, additional surveys are carried out in order to acknowledge better other fields such as dissemination of the information, quality of some publications...

    On the INE website, in its section Methods and Projects / Quality and Code of Practice / INE quality management / User surveys are available surveys conducted to date.(Click  next link)

     

    
    

    The specific needs of users are borne in mind, so long as methodological revisions of the survey are carried out. In this way, and based on the regulation governing it, the content thereof is adapted as much as possible to the specific requirements of its users, increasing their satisfaction levels.

    In the User Satisfaction Surveys conducted to date, it is possible to view the evaluation of the sector Sciencie and Technology in which this statistical operation is centred, which can help direct us with regard to user opinions of it.

  • 12.3Completeness

    The Technological Innovation in Companies Survey meets all the requirements established in the national and international regulations related to science and technology statistics.

    Said statistics are governed by Commission Regulation no. 995/2012, of 26 October 2012. As a result, the rate of compulsory statistical information supplied is R1=100%.

• 13Accuracy and reliability
  • 13.1Overall accuracy

    The sampling design tries to minimise the sampling errors, and the different survey processes are aimed at eliminating or reducing the errors thereof, as much as possible, both in the collection phase (response rate and filtering control) and in the subsequent editing and imputation phases.

  • 13.2Sampling error

    Sampling errors are in the link: https://www.ine.es/dynt3/inebase/en/index.htm?padre=4318

     

    A1=0.42% coefficient of variation for national total of expenditure on innovative activities. 

  • 13.3Non-sampling error

    A control of the non-sampling errors is carried out throughout the entire statistical process. Specific information is also available regarding the non-response rate.

    A4 (Non-response rate) = 7.73% 

    A2 (Over-coverage rate) = 3.48% 

     

• 14Timeliness and punctuality
  • 14.1Timeliness

    The survey data is published following the end of the year subsequent to the information reference year.

    TP2 (time bracket until the publication of the final data) = 12 months

  • 14.2Punctuality

    The data is disseminated in accordance with the structural statistics availability calendar that the INE prepares and publishes for each year.

    Punctuality (delay in publication): TP3=0

• 15Coherence and Comparability
  • 15.1Comparability - geographical

    The availability of an methodology, a design and a common process for the collection, filtering, editing and elevation, throughout its geographical scope, guarantees the comparability of the results among the different Autonomous Communities.

    On the other hand, the methodological adaptation to the Commission Regulation no. 995/2012, of 26 October 2012, makes comparability possible with the rest of the European Union countries.

  • 15.2Comparability - over time

    The classification change of National Classification of Economic Activities 2009 (CNAE-2009), implemented in reference year 2008, has been carried out without performing backcasting to link the two series. This change in classification implies a break in series.

    In 2018, the fourth version of the Oslo Manual, where the most important concepts of innovation are defined, produces a new series break that is reflected in the survey for this year's edition. 

    For the 2022 reference period, the new practical application of the statistical concept of 'enterprise' is implemented. This change affects the statistical results of the operation, and its distribution by activities and sizes. So that users can compare the operation data under the traditional approach (based on separate Legal Units) and the new approach (based on Statistical enterprises), for the 2022 reference period the INE has released both versions of the statistical results .

    Since the reference year 2024, only the version based on Statistical enterprises prevails.

    Length of the comparable time series under the Statistical Enterprise approach:CC2=2

  • 15.3Coherence - cross domain

    The use of the same national classification of economic activities enables the possibility of contrasting the survey information with other economic statistics, and with the Central Business Register (CBR).

  • 15.4Coherence - internal

    Coherence is a fundamental issue, both in considering the survey methodology, and in its entire compilation process. Coherence between variables is contrasted in all statistical process phases.

    These statistics are 100% on an internal level (for example, when observing arithmetic and accounting identities).

• 16Cost and burden
  • 16.1Cost and burden

    The budgetary credit necessary for financing the Technological Innovation in Companies Survey expected for the 2025 Annual Programme is estimated at 1,639.36 thousand euros.

    Electronic questionnaire have been implemented, in order to facilitate the completion thereof, and reduce the respondent workload.

• 17Data revision
  • 17.1Data revision - policy

    The INE of Spain has a policy which regulates the basic aspects of statistical data revision, seeking to ensure process transparency and product quality. This policy is laid out in the document approved by the INE board of directors on 13 March of 2015, which is available on the INE website, in the section "Methods and projects/Quality and Code of Practice/INE’s Quality management/INE’s Revision policy" (link).

    This general policy sets the criteria that the different type of revisions should follow:  routine revision- it is the case of statistics whose production process includes regular revisions-; more extensive revision- when methodological or basic reference source changes take place-; and exceptional revision- for instance, when an error appears in a published statistic-.

    
    

    The INE has a policy that regulates the basic aspects of the revision of statistics , ensuring the transparency of processes and product quality . This policy is described in the document approved by the Board of Directors at the meeting held on March 13 , 2015. The document is available in the section " Quality and good practices" of the INE website :

    https://www.ine.es/ss/Satellite?L=0&c=Page&cid=1259943453642&p=1259943453642&pagename=MetodologiaYEstandares%2FINELayout

    This policy sets the criteria to be followed for different types of reviews : routine - where statistics which by their nature are reviewed on a regular basis - ; major revisions due to methodological or basic reference sources of statistical changes; and extraordinary revisions (eg due to an error in statistics already published).

    They are extraordinary revisions due to errors detected in statistics already published.

  • 17.2Data revision - practice

    It has not been done in the period any revision due to methodological changes or extraordinary revisions.

• 18Statistical processing
  • 18.1Source data

    The population framework of the Technological Innovation in Companies Survey (TICS) is the Central Business Register (CBR).

    The Innovation Survey as of the year 2002 has been characterised by being coordinated with the R&D Statistics for the business sector. Due to the coordination of both operations, the directory of possible research companies (DIRID) has been included in the target population of study. This is a registry of companies that potentially carry out R&D activities, be it because they are on record as such in previous years' statistics, or because they have applied for public financing to carry out R&D during the reference year of the survey. With the object of updating this directory, information is requested annually from the State Administration bodies and from all the Autonomous Communities on the entities that receive public R&D funds. This information is cross-referenced with the information from the directory from the previous year, incorporating new registrations and modifications, and delistings.

    The coordination has been articulated on two levels: the first level refers to the sampling design, in which the directory of possible researching companies (DIRID) is comprehensively included, as well as a random sample of companies; the second level relates to the use of a sole questionnaire, organised adequately, which allows for the inclusion of the questions relating to both studies.

    Considering the previously defined population scope, the population of companies under study in this survey has been stratified by crossing the following variables:

    a) Belonging to the directory of companies that potentially might carry out research, which is analysed comprehensively.

    b) Size of the company: The following brackets are considered, based on the number of wage earners (employees):
    - 10 to 49
    - 50 to 199
    - 200 and over
    The strata made up of companies with 200 or more wage earners have been analysed exhaustively.

    c) Branch of main activity, according to CNAE-2009.

    d) Autonomous Community where the corporate headquarters of the company is located.

    In each stratum, a random-start automatic selection was carried out, organising the companies by size, CNAE and Autonomous Community.

  • 18.2Frequency of data collection

    The data collection is every two years, and is carried out througout a period of four months.

  • 18.3Data collection

    The information collection method is a mixed system based on postal mailings and interviewer participation, with significant telephone support for the collection thereof. The respondent units may send their data online, by ordinary post (completed print questionnaires) or by e-mail.

  • 18.4Data validation

    The initial stage of the survey information processing coincides with the collection fieldwork, and is carried out in parallel with the duration of the data collection. The articulated system is centred on the following main aspects: a continuous updating process; a filtering of the questionnaire content, integrated in the recording.

    The recording and filtering of questionnaires is carried out continuously by the same collection units, establishing the control regulations necessary to guarantee a suitable quality level for the whole process. This facilitates controlling, already in this phase, the errors that may affect the data obtained from respondent units.

    Once the data is received in electronic format at the unit responsible for the survey, an information coverage control is carried out, for the purpose of guaranteeing the completeness of the data recorded, detecting duplicities and coverage errors, and at the same time, being able to perform a first assessment regarding the quality of the variables included in the questionnaires. This phase is carried out on each one of the fortnightly files of recorded questionnaires, and its execution is prior to the preparation of the complete survey file, and at the start, therefore, of the whole data processing.

  • 18.5Data compilation

    At the level of the Legal Unit:

    During the micro-filtering process, the detection and filtering of errors and inconsistencies in the identification variables of each register are carried out, as well as the filtering and imputation of content errors. By virtue of the characteristics of each type of error, in certain cases, automatic imputation procedures are used, and in others, updates of the file are carried out in order to incorporate the corrections of the errors detected. Likewise, the systematic errors detected in the studies and analyses carried out previously on the recorded data are corrected.

    Once the micro-filtering phase is completed, the last stage prior to the tabulation and dissemination of the results is the obtaining of analysis tables, for the purpose of eliminating the errors and inconsistencies detected in this phase, via macro-filtering techniques.

     

    At the level of Statistical Enterprise:

    For the elaboration under the 'Statistical enterprise' approach, a method has been developed that is based on the following steps:

    1. Delineation of the Statistical enterprises that operate in business groups through the so-called Profiling methodology and classification of the Legal Units that compose them.
    2. Adequacy of the sample design and the information collection phase.
    3. Aggregation of the Legal Units that make up each Sample Statistical enterprise and study of the combinations of typologies of said Legal Units.
    4. Consolidation for sample Statistical enterprises formed by more than one Legal Unit and containing relationships between them. For these enterprises, the flows between their Legal Units are identified to proceed with the cancellation of intra-enterprise transactions.
    5. Construction of the complete statistics, based on Statistical enterprises, whether they are independent Legal Units or enterprises of business groups.

    The essential idea is that if the Legal Units of a Statistical enterprise serve, exclusively or mainly, other Legal Units of the same enterprise (for example, because they sell products under a vertical integration of the production process or provide services as an auxiliary relationship) , said servile Legal Units must be combined with the others to which they support to form the authentic statistical unit "enterprise", therefore having to combine and consolidate the corresponding variables.

     

    Imputation rate: A7=1.68%

  • 18.6Adjustment

    Given the annual nature of the survey, no seasonal adjustment is made.

• 19Comment
  • 19.1Comment

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