Productivity Unleashed: The measurement problem holding back R&D spending

Motu fellows Troy Baisden and Kyle Higham examine R&D spending. (Image: NZME)

Tue, 09 Dec 2025

The Government is banking on research and development to spur economic growth, but ‘blue sky’ projects unlinked to commercial outcomes might also be important for productivity, Greg Hurrell reports as part of our Productivity Unleashed series. Scientific inquiry and industrial research have long been viewed as key ingredients for business productivity growth and general prosperity.But some analysts see barriers to funding research and development in both the public and the commercial spheres. It boils down to measuri...

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