Think tanks in practice

It has been argued that think tanks do not always conform to the characteristics described above. One concern is the policy focus of some think tanks and their role as bridges between knowledge and government policies. The distinctions between think tanks and organizations such as interest groups, professional associations, consultants, and university institutes can be blurry, with the result that it is not always easy to identify an organization as a think tank. Further, in many countries, the directors and experts of think tanks are closely tied to politicians and bureaucrats; thus, in reality, they belong to the same elite. Given such circumstances, it could be difficult for a think tank to maintain a distinct enough identity as such to allow it to serve as a bridge between knowledge and government policies.

Think tanks often characterize themselves as serving the public interest, but they also have their own private interests and are dependent on their sources of funding. Often, their concern about their image and reputation limits the spectrum of their policy proposals. It is even doubtful to what extent think tanks can determine their own research agendas, which often depend on contracts and funding opportunities.

The knowledge resources of think tanks may also be limited. Although think tanks do normally recruit experts and provide policy analysis, they often recycle rather than produce academic knowledge. Their aim is to make academic findings more palatable for busy politicians and policy makers. This means that think tanks play an important role in setting the research and policy agenda and in prioritizing some subjects over others.

Think tanks on the international stage

Globalization has affected think tanks, especially by increasing their appetite and capacity for international networking. International think tanks and global networks have emerged since the 1990s. International think tanks, although they are based in one country, claim not to have any specific national links. An example is the European Policy Centre in Belgium, which declares a “multi-constituency approach” in its analysis of the EU and the effect of global policy making without preference for any particular member state. Additionally, there is a tendency for transnational communication between think tanks to occur through the creation of regional and international forums such as the Global Development Network, headquartered in New Delhi, which fosters international research and collaboration on development issues. International organizations, such as the World Bank, encourage such activities through the sponsoring of regional and international conferences that promote think tanks and their work. Similarly, think tanks offer their services to international organizations, such as the World Bank and the EU. All this international activity has translated into a proliferation of the number of such organizations globally.

Challenges

The challenges, but also the opportunities, that think tanks face are many. First, funding can be precarious, and at times of economic recession, obtaining it can be difficult. Second, the proliferation of think tanks and other NGOs has meant increased competition but also more possibilities for collaboration, better productivity, and greater audience reach. Third, the rise of the Internet has multiplied communication possibilities, but it has also facilitated the spread of information that is not always accurate. Fourth, the emergence of specialist think tanks—in areas such as biotechnology and genetics, for example—has facilitated the provision of more-focused analysis. Finally, globalization has meant an increased demand for policy advice and a new role for think tanks that are forced to study policy alternatives from around the globe and then adapt them to their local context.