Why Science Is Important for Innovation

WHY IS SCIENCE IMPORTANT? Science underpins improvements in human welfare, through technologies which it develops for health, food production, engineering and communication. Science is also important in solving problems created by human activity, such as environmental degradation and climate change. Science allows us to move forward through incremental improvements in technology, adapted for particular needs and situations. But it also sometimes allows us to leap forward, through fundamental scientific discoveries that entirely change our sets of tools for human improvement and create new platforms for technology, such as the genetic revolution and the consequent development of biotechnologies for improving health and agriculture.

How does scientific innovation work?

Scientific innovation involves the successful exploitation of new ideas to generate new techniques, products and processes. Traditionally, scientific innovation has been viewed as a process starting with curiosity-driven, basic research which generates new understanding. This then leads to translational research, which relates this fundamental understanding to systems we want to improve, and then to applied research, which produces the products which we can use. Private enterprise plays a key role in successful innovation—without business investment and marketing, inventions such as penicillin, computers and mobile phones would not exist today.

As an example of innovation, consider how new knowledge of the genetics of disease resistance, gained from basic research on a laboratory animal, may lead to translational research on livestock to determine whether similar genes exist that convey useful resistance. If this research is successful, industry may use it to develop products, in this case using livestock breeding methods to incorporate genes conferring resistance into specific commercial breeds for sale to farmers.

However, today we recognize that scientific innovation is not always a linear process, and that it often involves interplay back-and-forth between basic, translational and applied research stages. It is possible, for example, for applied research to identify a need for more basic research in a new area. Going back to the example above, if new breeds exhibit only patchy resistance to the disease in question, farmers may choose not to buy the product. This may stimulate applied research into the causes of breakdown of resistance, which in turn may stimulate more basic research into resistance mechanisms, so as to generate new solutions.

This research interaction involves a diverse system of players and institutions that influence its progress and success. Together, these are often called a science innovation system. The players may come from companies, universities, government and civil society. Scientists play a key role, of course, but so do other stakeholders, such as policy makers, banks and investors. Involving policy makers allows for a conducive policy and regulatory environment for the development and use of new technologies, while banks and investors provide security and capital for product development.

A striking feature of science innovation systems today is that they are becoming increasingly international, with groups from different countries bringing specific expertise to the innovation process. Science no longer functions in isolation at a national level as it did with the large-scale emergence of nationally funded science during the 20th century, when it was seen as a way of ensuring national security and productivity. Scientists from around the world now collaborate with each other for a variety of reasons, but particularly to access the best expertise, resources and partnerships, and funding and institutions have adapted accordingly. Importantly, certain scientists, institutes and countries participate much more actively in the system than others, thus influencing the direction and benefits of research and outputs.
 

Gordon Conway is Professor of International Development at Imperial College.

Jeff Waage is the Director of the London International Development Centre (LIDC). 

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A striking feature of science innovation systems today is that they are becoming increasingly international, with groups from different countries bringing specific expertise to the innovation process.