New Zealand's innovation system is like a large industrial plant according to the
"Where each department performs reasonably well given the resources and information available,and manages hand-offs to adjacent departments," it says in a recent internationalisation strategycalled
"However the plant as a whole is underperforming because there are bottlenecks, missing functionsand missed opportunities for coordination."
The report proposes 14 policy initiatives to accelerate the export of high value differentiatedgoods and services based particularly on information, communications, technology, and nichemanufacturing.
The institute says that many of the policy proposals identified are available because the NZinnovation ecosystem has not been managed as a whole.
"Instead, individual pieces have been proposed and adopted by governments, and numerousgovernment and non-government agencies have made improvements within their scope of responsibility,"the report says.
It says the formation of the Ministry of Science and Innovation is an important step towardssolving the problem, but isn't enough.
"Several countries pursuing innovation strategies have established innovation councils orequivalent bodies, usually chaired by their Prime Ministers, which identify obstacles andopportunities, and mobilize resources," says the report, written by Rick Boven, Catherine Harlandand Lillian Grace.
They suggest that having the ministers for science and innovation, education, economicdevelopment and finance on an Innovation Council, along with their chief executives and leaders fromindustry and finance would create the conversations and shared understanding that are needed toagree priorities and quickly reallocate resources.
The report suggests following the Danish model, where in 2006 it launched a strategy called'Progress, Innovation and Cohesion'.
The Denmark strategy contains a total of 350 specific initiatives, which together entailextensive reforms within the fields of education, training and research as well as substantialimprovements in the framework conditions for growth and innovation in all areas of society.
The strategy says, "Each year, the Government will publish a report that provides a picture ofwhether developments are going in the right direction and whether we are reaching our objectives inrelation to education and training, research, entrepreneurship and innovation."
Given the paucity of policy options to grow the economy, and given the Prime Minister's statedenthusiasm for high value exports, could Mr Mapp's announcement be Key timing?
Footnote: As this post was being written, Minister of Science and InnovationWayne Mapp announced he will not be standing in the 2011 election.
It would be a pretty neat thing if John Key stepped into such a pivotal role……especially ashe has often said that high value exports are the only way this country's going to move forward.However, the word is it would be too much on his plate.
More's the pity……but think about it eh John!