Abstract: Soft science research is an effective way to make a scientific decision. It plays an important role in promoting economic development and providing the government with suggestions and support in making strategic decisions. Facing the current stern situations both at home and abroad, great efforts for the Chinese-style modernization brings the unprecedented development opportunities for soft science research. This article analyzes the source and development process of soft science and divides China’s soft science development into the embryo stage, the initial stage, the comprehensive development stage and the new-era stage. China has made a series of achievements in the soft science development process, such as accelerating the decision-making process at the national and different levels, enriching and developing the new disciplinary systems and educational systems, fostering the specialized high-quality researchers, establishing a variety of soft science research institutions, promoting international academic exchange of the research achievements, and standardizing the managerial mechanisms of soft science research. This article also analyzes the typical cases of soft science research from the institutions of the Chinese and foreign enterprises. It summarizes the experiences that can be borrowed in the following areas: creating and perfecting the quality control system of soft science research achievements, constructing an unique system of theoretical method as well as an open and cooperative environment, emphasizing production of talents and capital guarantee, attaching impoartance to the roles played by the research achievements, and enlarging communication for higher influential power. To promote high-quality development of China’s soft science, the article comes up with some suggestions on perfection of design at the top level and the general plan, creation of the first-class research institutions, enhancement of the incentive mechanisms, and highlighting of digital transition.

Key words: soft science; making scientific decisions; development process; experience from practice; new-type think tank

摘要： 软科学研究是促进决策科学化的有效方式，在推动经济发展、资政建言和战略决策支持中发挥着重要作用。当前面对复杂严峻的国际国内形势，大力推进中国式现代化建设给软科学研究带来前所未有的发展机遇。文章梳理了软科学的起源与发展历程，将我国软科学发展划分为萌芽阶段、起步阶段、综合发展阶段和新时代发展阶段。在我国软科学事业发展过程中，取得了推动国家及不同层面决策进程、繁荣发展新的学科体系和教学体系、培养专业素质较高的研究队伍、建设不同类型软科学研究机构、丰富研究成果与国际学术交流合作、规范软科学研究管理机制等成果。剖析国内外企业机构软科学研究典型案例，凝练形成了打造完善的软科学研究成果质量控制体系、构建独特的理论方法体系与开放合作生态、注重人才队伍建设和资金保障、重视研究成果发挥作用、扩大传播增加影响力等可借鉴经验。为了推动我国软科学更高质量发展，围绕完善顶层设计与总体布局、创建一流研究机构、强化激励机制、重视数字化转型等方面提出了相关建议。

关键词: 软科学；科学决策；发展历程；实践经验；新型智库