In June of 1963, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) convened a meeting of national experts on research and development (R&D) statistics in the city of Frascati, Italy. Here, the first official version of the Proposed Standard Practice for Surveys of Research and Development, otherwise known as the Frascati Manual, was developed. Canada's Scientific Research and Experiment Development program is largely based on the Frascati Manual. This manual has become the standard for R&D surveys globally. It was created based on the R&D statistics collected by OECD member countries and born out of the work undertaken by NESTI (National Experts on Science and Technology Indicators).  This group elaborated across many decades on the concepts of science and technology indicators and developed a series of manuals on R&D (Frascati Manual), Innovation (Oslo Manual) Human Resources (Canberra Manual), and Technological Balance of Payments and Patents as Science and Technology Indicators.

The systematic approach to the collection of R&D data, proposed by the Frascati Manual, facilitates the analysis of various national systems of innovation and measures the impact that science and technology has on OECD member countries consistent with the policy objectives of the OECD.  The policy objectives designed to:

• achieve the highest sustainable economic growth and employment and a rising standard of living in member countries, while maintaining financial stability, and thus to contribute to the development of the world economy.
• contribute to sound economic expansion in member as well as non-member countries in the process of economic development; and
• contribute to the expansion of world trade on a multilateral, non-discriminatory basis in accordance with international obligations.

The original members of the OECD are Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxemburg, the United Kingdom and the United States. Additional countries have joined thereafter.