NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE

No. 65

1502

should take place without displacing or otherwise creating disincentives for investment by others.

• evolutionary rather than radical shifts in investment, focused on the science envelope goals, target outcomes and a performance measurement system. The aim is to move towards a system that supports knowledge-led innovation, as identified by the Foresight Project.

• decision-making at the level which has the best information on expected benefits. Purchase agents managing Government’s RS&T investments will be accountable for outputs purchased and the stewardship expectations placed upon them.

D. Outline of Statement

This blueprint:

• outlines the investment framework agreed to for public investment in RS&T;

• sets out the roles and responsibilities for Vote RS&T stakeholders;

• lists the stewardship expectations required of those organisations that purchase research within Vote RS&T; and

• provides an indicative implementation timeline.

3. The investment framework

A. Science Envelope Goals

Direction setting

Four science envelope goals for Government’s RS&T investment sit beneath the Government’s strategic priorities and the RS&T 2010 strategy. They signal long-term directions. This is necessary because of the long-term nature of many RS&T activities. The goals:

• act as a mechanism for communicating Governments aspirations to purchasers, providers and users of publicly funded RS&T;

• provide a uniform set of directions across the science envelope, enabling elements of work carried out under different sources funding to be combined in coherent research portfolios; and

• act as an anchor point for the performance expectations designed to assess the efficacy of investments in RS&T.

The goal statements

There are four science envelope goals. All the goal statements have a similar structure. They identify the role to be played by RS&T in moving towards a national desired state. The innovation goal refers to the importance of innovation per se, but also underpins the social, environmental and economic goals.

1. Innovation goal: Accelerate knowledge creation and the development of human capital, social capital, learning systems and networks in order to enhance New Zealand’s capacity to innovate.

   The first goal recognises the importance of building a culture of innovation in New Zealand to underpin all other economic, environmental and social outcomes. RS&T should generate new knowledge, help develop human and network capacities, and stimulate an entrepreneurial culture so that New Zealand can be a full participant in the global knowledge age. This goal links directly to the Government’s aspirations to create an enterprise economy and to value innovation. It reinforces the Government’s strategic priority on expanding the country’s knowledge base and technological capabilities.

2. Economic goal: Increase the contribution knowledge makes to the creation and value of new and improved products, processes, systems and services in order to enhance the competitiveness of New Zealand enterprises.

   The second goal stresses the importance of new knowledge and technological change as a driver for value-creation, innovation, and productivity gains across the economy. This goal identifies the contribution that knowledge makes to economic competitiveness. It provides a context for Government investment in RS&T consistent with the policy that investment should generate widespread net benefits over time, without displacing or otherwise creating disincentives for investment by others.

   A focus on the knowledge base behind new and improved products, processes, systems and services will ensure that Government investment in RS&T complements the role of private sector investment in generating wealth for New Zealand. This goal links to the Government’s aspiration to develop an enterprise economy.

3. Environmental goal: Increase knowledge of the environmental and of the biological, physical, social, economic and cultural factors that affect it in order to establish and maintain a healthy environment that sustains nature and people.

   The third goal emphasises how knowledge of environmental states and processes underpins our ability to improve environmental quality and integrity. It picks up ideas related to New Zealand’s environmental heritage expressed in Government’s aspirations and Government’s strategic priority on biodiversity.

   This goal focuses on improving understanding of the web of interconnected factors that determine the state of the environment. The knowledge gained will underpin sustainable management of all New Zealand’s environments (terrestrial, marine and atmospheric), and will contribute to minimising hazards and risks associated with our unique environments. This will in turn contribute to better economic and social outcomes.

4. Social goal: Increase knowledge of the social, biological, environmental, cultural, economic and physical determinants of well-being in order to build a society in which all New Zealanders enjoy health and independence and have a sense of belonging, identity and partnership.

   The fourth goal addresses the social outcomes that can be achieved through RS&T investments. It identifies a key role for RS&T in increasing knowledge about the wide range of factors that underpin social and individual development.

   It also reflects the increasing international recognition that innovation is intimately linked to the social conditions in which it is produced. Thus, increasing knowledge of the determinants of well-being provides a platform for developing New Zealand’s innovative capacity, and opens avenues for improving well-being in its own right. This goal links to the Government’s strategic priority on extending economic and social participation.

Applying the goals

The science envelope goals provide overall direction for public investment in RS&T. They are designed to encourage stakeholders and purchase agents to seek more effective delivery of outcomes.

The goals will strongly influence investment decisions for Vote RS&T. They also provide a context for departmental research, including long-term, cross-portfolio, and applied social science research. They will not prescribe the content of this work, however.

For example, future discussions within Vote RS&T on research under the environmental goal should be influenced by departmental plans for research in these areas. This goal