Reforming National Research Governance: Strategies to Enhance the Adoption of Research Outputs by Industry

Abstract

The increasing production of scientific outputs, patents, and technological innovations in Indonesia has not been accompanied by a commensurate level of adoption by the industrial sector. This condition indicated the existence of a research commercialization gap, which can be attributed to fragmented national research governance, limited coordination among stakeholders, and weak alignment between research agendas and industrial needs. This research aims to formulate strategic policy recommendations for reforming national research governance to increase the utilization and commercialization of research outputs by industry. The study employed a descriptive qualitative approach using the USG (Urgency, Seriousness, Growth) method to prioritize key problems and the 5 Whys analysis to identify the root causes of low research adoption. The findings reveal that the main problem lies in the absence of an integrated and binding coordination mechanism among government institutions, research organizations, universities, and industry stakeholders. A comparative analysis of innovation governance practices in South Korea, Japan, China, Australia, and Singapore demonstrates that successful innovation ecosystems are supported by strong institutional coordination, industry-oriented research planning, co-funding mechanisms, and long-term collaboration frameworks. Based on a policy evaluation using William N. Dunn’s criteria, the National Research Programming Mechanism, established through a Joint Steering Committee (JSC) and a National Research, Innovation, and Industry Master Plan, is identified as the most viable policy alternative. This policy reform is expected to strengthen research commercialization pathways, increase industry participation, and shift national research governance from a supply-driven model toward an innovation ecosystem oriented toward industrial needs and economic impact.