S&T Trends

Mission-Oriented Innovation Polices in Singapore: Research, Innovation and Enterprise Planning and National Innovation Challenges

Sarah Cheah, Stephen Phua

Abstract

Countriesworldwideseekinginnovation-driveneconomicgrowthfacetheincreasingcomplexityanduncertaintyof grand societal challenges. The new generation of mission-oriented innovation policy (MOIP) is led by societalchallengestospearheadtransformativesystemchange.Despitethecentralityofexistinginnovationsystemstructurestotransformativesystemchangeandmission-orientedinnovation,therehasbeenlimitedattentiontotheirrole.ThisarticlecontributestotheagendabyinvestigatinghowexistinginnovationsystemstructuresshouldbereconfiguredbyMOIPtoproducerelevantoutcome,andhowstakeholdercommitmentcanbeshapedbythelegitimacyofMOIP.Italso examines how the tension between new and existing innovation pathways should be managed. Using the triplehelixandproblem-solutionperspectives,westudiedthecasesofSingapore’sresearch,innovationandenterpriseplans,as well as its national innovation challenge programmes during the 2010-2020 period. Our findings demonstrate thecritical role of institutional legitimacy in reconfiguring existing actors for successful mission outcome. Our analysisshows the importance of social legitimacy among the expanded helix structures of government, university, industryandcivilsocietytoincreasestakeholdercommitment.Tomanagethetensionbetweendifferentinnovationpathways,Singaporepolicymakersadoptedaportfolioapproachtopursuenoveltyinsolutionstoaccomplishthemission.