Fields and types of research
Introduction
New Zealand researchers continue to be active in a wide range of existing and emerging research fields. This research activity is supported by the research, science and innovation system, which funds a balance of research across the research spectrum (basic research, applied research, experimental development).
Outputs, such as research publications, record and communicate the new knowledge generated through research. By tracking these outputs, the quality and efficiency of New Zealand's research system and its specialities can be identified.
The government provides funding, leadership and structures to encourage and support actions that are likely to have the most social value. This includes directing research and development (R&D) to societal and environmental challenges through:
- basic research – experimental or theoretical work that aims to acquire new knowledge without any particular application or use in view
- applied research – original investigations to acquire new knowledge with specific, practical aims or objectives
- experimental development – systematic work to produce new products or processes or improve existing products or processes.
This chapter explores changes and trends in research fields, and types of research and development activity.
Ngā miramira wāhangaChapter highlights
New Zealand produces publications in all research fields. More than a quarter (ie 30%) of publications in 2020 were from the medical and health sciences field.
Data indicates that New Zealand research is more specialised in Earth sciences and environmental sciences than the rest of the world. Specialisation in fields such as economics and mathematics has reduced.
Expenditure in basic research, applied research and experimental development increased between 2010 and 2020. The largest increases were in experimental development and applied research - increases in business R&D expenditure are likely to have contributed to this finding.
2.1 — Ngā ia kei ngā papa rangahau
Trends in research fields
Change in number of publications by research field in 2010 and 2020
A change in the number of publications is used to indicate increases or decreases in research activity in a particular field. New Zealand produced more publications across all research fields in 2020 when compared to 2010. Research fields with the greatest proportional increases in the number of publications from 2010 to 2020 were:
- built environment and design (3.4-fold)
- studies in creative arts and writing (2.6-fold)
- law and legal studies (2.4-fold)
- education (2.3-fold)
- engineering (2.3-fold).
In 2020, three fields accounted for approximately half (51%) of all publications:
- medical and health sciences (30%, 6804 publications)
- biological sciences (12%, 2621 publications)
- engineering (9%, 2053 publications).
Change in relative number of publications by research field in 2010 and 2020
The relative number of publications is calculated using the revealed comparative advantage (RCA), which is the proportion of New Zealand publications in one field divided by the proportion of publications in the same field globally.
In 2020, New Zealand had a higher proportion of publications in some research fields relative to the rest of the world, as shown by RCA values that were greater than 1.0. New Zealand specialises in:
- Earth sciences (3.1)
- environmental sciences (3.0)
- commerce, management, tourism services (2.8)
- agricultural and veterinary sciences (2.6)
- biological sciences (2.1)
- studies in creative arts and writing (1.9)
- education (1.9).
In 2020, fields with RCA values less than 1.0 (ie fewer publications with New Zealand-affiliated authors than the rest of the world) were:
- mathematical sciences (0.6)
- physical sciences (0.6)
- technology (0.6)
- history and archaeology (0.8)
- chemical sciences (0.8).
Research fields with the greatest increases in RCA values in 2010 and 2020 were:
- studies in creative arts and writing (from 0.9 to 1.9),
- built environment and design (from 1.3 to 1.8)
- studies in human society (from 1.5 to 1.8)
- psychology and cognitive sciences (from 1.5 to 1.8).
Research fields with the greatest decreases in RCA values in 2010 and 2020 were:
- economics (from 1.7 to 1.3)
- environmental sciences (from 3.3 to 3.0)
- Earth sciences (from 3.4 to 3.1).
Decreases in RCA values may indicate that the amount of research in these fields in New Zealand is not keeping pace with the world as a whole. This is despite the increases observed in the number of publications in some fields such as information and computing sciences.
Review of research classification codes
The Australian New Zealand Standard Research Classifications (ANZSRC) provide standard definitions to classify, identify and count different types of research. In a joint project, the ANZSRC codes were reviewed in 2020 by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, Australian Research Council, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment and Stats NZ. This was the first review since the classification was released in 2008.
A key outcome was the inclusion of a new division for indigenous research. This will enable Māori and Pacific Peoples' research to be better identified, counted and recognised.
Te Mana Raraunga
Māori Data Sovereignty Network
Te Mana Raraunga advocates for Māori rights and interests in data and for the development of Māori data infrastructure and capability. With more than 100 Māori researchers, practitioners and entrepreneurs, it is enabling a cohesive voice across the science system. There remains much to do to ensure Crown agencies deliver on their Treaty obligations to Māori, including in the RSI sector.
With Maiam Nayri Wingara, their Australian counterpart, Te Mana Raraunga successfully advocated for including indigenous studies in the Australia New Zealand Standard Research Classification.
Te Mana Raraunga also worked with other indigenous data sovereignty networks to found the Global Indigenous Data Alliance. The alliance has created CARE principles for indigenous data governance, which are part of a revised AIATSIS Code of Ethics.
New Zealand Research Information System
A new hub for information about the research, science and innovation sector
The system, which is currently in development, will provide data about research as well as the funding and resources that support the RSI sector. It covers current research projects, who’s involved in them, information about spending in a particular area and will highlight which areas need more resources and support.
Initially, data will come from organisations that fund research (eg Health Research Council, Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, Royal Society Te Apārangi) and those that carry out research (eg Crown research institutes, universities). Over time more organisations are expected to contribute.
2.2 — Ngā ia kei ngā momo rangahau
Trends in types of research
R&D expenditure by type of research
R&D expenditure includes three types of research activity – basic research, applied research and experimental development. Expenditure on R&D increased for all three types between 2010 and 2020. The increase in experimental developmental (2.0-fold) was greater than the increases in basic research (1.5-fold) and applied research (1.9-fold).
In 2020, experimental developmental and applied research each comprised approximately 39 per cent of R&D expenditure, with the remaining 23 per cent being spent on basic research.
These changes may be largely explained by the increase in business R&D expenditure, which is much less likely to include basic research than R&D expenditure by government or higher education sectors.
