Standing On The Shoulders Of Science

09 December 2009
NEW RELEASE
 

Standing On The Shoulders Of Science

 The New Zealand Institute has released a discussion paper titled Standing on the shoulders of science: Getting more value from the innovation ecosystem. The discussion paper concludes that improving the innovation ecosystem, especially commercialisation activities, will provide valuable economic benefits for New Zealand. 
 
New Zealand needs a world class innovation ecosystem to maintain relative productivity levels in areas of strength, like agriculture. In addition to protecting areas of strength, New Zealand needs to establish additional sources of economic growth, especially exports.

This New Zealand Institute research is relevant to two conversations under way in New Zealand: how New Zealand can achieve higher levels of productivity, and how best to improve the innovation ecosystem. Relevant to the first conversation, the Institute’s research indicates that the 2025 Taskforce has overlooked opportunities in the innovation ecosystem, and this conclusion is shared by leaders in many OECD countries New Zealand competes with.

In the second conversation, there are three government reviews under way on the innovation ecosystem focused on setting priorities, business R&D, and the CRIs. The discussion paper provides conclusions relevant to all three of those efforts.  The paper concludes that the innovation ecosystem and efforts to improve it should be managed as a whole, and that realising benefits from substantial increases in R&D investment requires parallel efforts to increase the availability of talent and capital for commercialisation, as well as aligning tax structures with an innovation strategy. 

Also available on the Institute's web site is public commentary by the Institute on a range of economic issues, as well as media coverage of our work.

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