The role of communication in supporting innovation through research indicators

Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) are recognized as important strategic factors that shape and drive the socio-economic future of modern nations all around the globe. The growing economic and societal importance of STI has spurred the need for the collection and analysis of data that would be related to inputs, processes, outputs and impacts. However, the activity of communicating research outcomes to support global research policy has been reduced primarily to statistical models or data visualizations, with little consideration of the rhetorical nature of the deliberative documents produced to support this process. Based on the results of a large scale international survey on research indicators and outcomes, we argue for a renewed interest in the value of approaching questions of research value rhetorically, and thus highlighting the importance of effectively communicating research outcomes to stakeholders to bridge the gap between academia, industry and government.