Governing Science, Technology and Innovation: lessons from policy formulation and regulation in Denmark

As an object of public management, Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) is characterised by a high level of uncertainty and complexity. The paper argues that to cope with the phenomenon of STI as a coherent area of policy formulation and regulation, a balancing of rational-, reflexive- and responsive-regulatory-strategies is needed. Utilising this approach the Danish policy on STI is evaluated. The Danish strategy has been a strong centralisation of research and innovation in a single ministry. Despite reflexive-regulatory-strategies in certain areas, such as reforms of public research institutions, the potential of this regulatory approach is hampered by the lack of industry-specific analytical competences and the related single ministry concentration.meta-governance; new public management; science; technology; innovation; STI; policy formulation; regulation; Denmark; public policy.