In today’s society, the exercise of public management or governance requires taking decisions based on solid scientific principles. The list of issues for which the evidence provided by advances in technoscientifi c knowledge is an essential starting point is constantly enlarging.

This book is the result of a joint initiative between the Fundación General de la Universidad Complutense de Madrid and the BBVA Foundation. It attempts to systematize the bases of the main scientifi c references for public management decisions, uniting the opinions of scientists, research managers, policymakers and media representatives whose recent experience is of relevance to the debate.