The fall of research and rise of innovation: Changes in New Zealand science policy discourse

Recent changes in national science policies have seen a strong swing towards demand-side policies whereby national innovation systems are harnessed as a means of achieving economic growth. In this paper, we analyse more than a decade of change within New Zealand science policy-a period during which economic arguments and priorities have become increasingly dominant. In particular, we examine the relative shifts in stakeholder power relations embodied in the changes, a subject that is not generally considered in science policy and innovation studies. Researchers are increasingly disempowered as the policy agency becomes the 'driver' of innovation in a demand-led scenario. A likely consequence of these changes is that the boundary between science and consultancy will become harder to distinguish. We argue that the potential ethical and accountability consequences of these changes have yet to be fully explored or addressed within science policy.