Crank up private sector R&D to boost country's wealth say engineers
By Peter Kerr for sticK
(sticK - 9 Feb. 2011) Instead of looking at perceived gaps in New Zealand's innovation ecosystem our engineering professional body's asked what the country could do with an extra $500 million.
The Institute of Professional Engineers New Zealand has 'visualised success' in its latest thought piece and document, 'Catalysing economic growth - boosting innovation expertise in the private sector'.
"We need to get to a disruptive level of R&D, we need to get the private sector working much better," says Andrew Cleland, IPENZ chief executive.
While acknowledging changes to improve our productivity and innovation, including the regulatory environment, public sector efficacy, the tax system and infrastructure, these changes alone are insufficient he says.
Two poorly recognised issues need to be addressed:
For sticK – science, technology, innovation & commercialisation KNOWLEDGE - is a new Wellington based news service concentrating on following the money from ideas to income. Contact editor Peter Kerr at peter.kerr055 @ gmail.com