Objective 1: Enhancing research infrastructure
Motu’s Research outputs are disseminated to a wide audience of policy-makers, academics, and other interested public. The key ways Motu enhances New Zealand’s research infrastructure are creating networks, developing data and making it accessible, and building research capacity. Many of these activities have continued beyond the funding provided by A&I. See the Building Capacity pages for our current activities.
Networks
Motu provides, as well as participates, in a range of networking structures. We connect New Zealand researchers to each other, to international leaders in key fields, and to key end-users of research.
- For the duration of the A&I programme, Motu hosted Annual Adjustment and Inequality Workshops, bringing together key researchers working on Adjustment and Inequality-related research.
- Motu attends end-user conferences.
- Motu attends academic conferences to present research findings. A&I research was presented at: NZAE, Population Association of New Zealand, SOLE, EALE, LEW, Oz LEW
Motu maintains regular contact with key policy makers through informal contacts, co-funded projects, and involvement in our workshops to ensure that our research is responsive to their needs. Motu hosts international visitors, some of whom participate in the Motu Public Policy Seminar Series.
- Co-funding: the list of ‘Adjustment and Inequality’ papers includes projects that have received co-funding from: Treasury, Department of Labour, Ministry of Social Development, Ministry of Economic Development, CHRANZ, Marsden Fund, Business Roundtable, Lincoln Foundation, HSRC.
- International visitors: Motu frequently hosts international visitors. Visitors during the A&I programme included: Jeff Borland, Stephen Jenkins, Shelly Lundberg, Dick Startz, Deborah Cobb-Clark, Paul Frijters, Jan van Ours, Andrew Coleman, Abigail Pane, Caroline Hoxby, Derek Hum, Bill Dickens, Denise diPasquale.
- Motu research is disseminated to a wide range of academic, policy, and other people through our biannual research updates, monthly Public Policy Seminar Series, and through the publication of working papers on our website.
Data
Motu’s data pages list all the datasets available to researchers. Other work has occurred in documenting the available datasets, and in developing methodologies for using specific data.
Documentation
• Census Documentation
• QVNZ Documentation - data on property prices, sales, and valuations
• Exogenous shocks database - mainly macroeconomic data
Data Development and Definitions
Motu has published working papers looking at data development and definitions, including:
Grimes, Arthur and Yun Liang. 2007. “An Auckland Land Value Annual Database,” Motu Working Paper 07-04.
Grimes, Arthur; David C. Maré and Melanie Morten. 2006. “Defining Areas: Linking Geographic Data in New Zealand,” Motu Working Paper 06-07.
Poland, Michelle and David C. Maré. 2005. “Defining Geographic Communities,” Motu Working Paper 05-09.
Lattimore, Ralph. 2003. “Longrun Trends in New Zealand Industry Assistance,” Motu Working Paper 03-11.
Grimes, Arthur, David C. Maré and Melanie Morten. 2009. “Defining areas and linking geographical data: an example from New Zealand,” Population, Space and Place, 16:2, 165-170.
Motu contributes to a range of Statistics New Zealand data reviews and consultation exercises.
Research Capacity
Motu takes the training of young researchers seriously. We employ high-level graduates as research analysts, and offer a number of summer internships or short-term research opportunities to students.
Research Analysts contributing to the A&I programme included:
- Andrew Aitken – now studying towards a PhD at University College London
- Sylvia Dixon – now a researcher at the Department of Labour
- Jo Hendy – now a researcher at the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment
- Yun Liang – now completing a Masters in Economics while working part time at Motu.
- Kelly Lock – now an analyst at the New Zealand Treasury
- Melanie Morten – now studying towards a PhD at Yale University
- Isabelle Sin – now studying towards a PhD at Stanford University
- Jason Timmins – now a researcher at the Department of Labour
Interns included:
- Dale Warburton
- Sandy Kerr
- Jasmine Lawrence
- Kerry Papps
- Michelle Poland
- Robert Sourell