Exploring the Image of Science in the Business Sector: Surveying and Modeling Scientific Culture, Perception and Attitudes Towards Science

The ‘Scientific Culture at Enterprises’ (SCe) project aims to identify the different factors that characterize the image of science held by entrepreneurs and business managers, explore the relationships among these factors, and shed light on the role they play in defining this image and ultimately in developing a culture of science in the business sector. This article is based on the results of the SCe 2016 survey with a specially designed telephone survey questionnaire of a representative sample of Spanish companies. The novelty of our approach lies in the application of a model developed in the fields of Social Studies of Science (SSS) and Public Understanding of Science (PUS) to the business sector, in order to obtain information on the dispositions of perception, interest, knowledge and action and their relationships with science and innovation in the business sector in Spain. Using the PIKA model of the image of science, we found this image in the business sector to be shaped by entrepreneurs’ and business managers’ perception of science, their interest in and knowledge of science and technology, and their willingness to take action regarding science, R&D and innovation. Implications for the public perception and understanding of science are discussed.