Comparative Analysis Of R&D Expenditure Performance in the European Union: An Application Using the OCRA Method

In the current era of intense global competition, countries that develop technology rather than just adopt it can emerge as leaders. R&D spending is a crucial tool for both nations and institutions to develop technology and foster innovation, while leveraging their economic strengths. This study seeks to analyze the R&D spending performance of 23 EU countries. To do this, six variables related to R&D expenditure were used as decision criteria. Data from 2014, 2019, and 2023 were examined using the OCRA (Operational Competitiveness Rating) method, a Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) approach. The analysis showed that the countries with the highest R&D spending in all three years were Germany, France, and the Netherlands, in that order.