This document discusses think tanks, their proliferation in the modern world, and how they perform their roles. It defines think tanks as institutions that pursue research in public policy, are largely funded by endowments and grants, and aim to improve public awareness of issues and influence government policy. The document then examines factors behind the growth of think tanks, such as distrust in government and a need for independent expertise. It also classifies think tanks based on their affiliations and orientations, such as academic, advocacy, or contract research organizations. The document concludes by looking at how think tanks like Brookings Institution perform their roles through staff, funding, and pursuing rigorous independent academic research to analyze and influence public policy.

1. 1
THINK TANKS IN MODERN WORLD AND HOW THEY
PERFORM THEIR ROLES
Writer: AWNI SHATI MOHAMMAD ETAYWE
awnietaywe@yahoo.com
Jordan Center for Studies and Lessons Learned (JCSLL)
ABSTRACT
This article aims to highlight the role of think tanks in modern world, their
types, reasons behind their recent proliferation, and most importantly how
they perform and evaluate their performance. To this end, the writer has
reviewed a number of previous studies in the field, giving a special focus
on Brookings Institution and Cato institution as examples of leading
contemporary think tanks. The article concludes with some
recommendations and basic remarks that need to be taken into
consideration by any thank tank seeking success.
INTRODUCTION
Think tank is a phrase we usually hear when people talk about public policy.
It is generally used to refer to a research organization employed to solve complex

2. 2
problems or predict and plan for future developments. Douglas Harper mentions
that the phrase ‘think tank’ was used since the beginning of the 20th
century to
generally refer to “the brain” and its function, but it was first used to refer to a
research institute in 1959 when it referred to the Center for Behavioral Sciences
(Palo Alto, California).
Nevertheless, having a large number of research institutes in modern world
has led to the introduction of a well-founded definition of ‘think tank’ which the
American Heritage New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy defines as:
“An institution in which scholars pursue research in public policy. Largely
funded by endowments and grants, think tanks work to improve public
awareness of policy issues (through publications) and to influence the
government to act upon issues of national importance.”
This definition informs us that any institution, for it to be described and
named as a “think tank”, is expected to have the following characteristics:
1. Embracing scholars specialized in the sought issues, such specialists as in
military, political, or social areas.
2. Research lies in the very interest of public policy.
3. It receives a particular funding to do its job, given that many of them
around the world are funded by endowments and grants.

3. 3
4. It aims:
a. To improve the public awareness with regard to particular issues
b. To inform as well as put some pressure on the government so as it acts
toward issues of national significance.
5. It uses multiple means to keep the public informed. This can be done
primarily via publications.
POPULARITY AND PROLIFERATION OF THINK TANKS
Despite the existence of a large number of think tanks today all over the
word, think tanks continue to be unknown to many people, reasons may vary, but
one of the reasons is because they are idea-oriented, so that only specialists and
researchers will know about their think-tanks’ area of interest. Another reason is
being slow in production and effect. George W. Bush for example, has campaigned
on social security reform 20 years after Cato Institute think tank had proposed it.
Interestingly, think tanks are graded upon how successful they are in solving
problems from the real world.
Succinctly stressed, the most important point behind the proliferation of
think tanks is the need for their services. This need was early identified in the USA
Based in Washington since 1916, Brookings Institute was considered the first
private institute dedicated to public policy issues, named after the businessman

4. 4
Robert Somers Brookings. After World War II, Brookings Institute rallied support
for the Marshal Plan. The Institutes influence was substantial since its beginning
on the public opinion. It pushed for the creation of the federal budget.
Young-Houser (2015) mentions that the position of think tanks is changing
and their role is growing, and hence becoming more popular as it is becoming
more and more connected to the world of academics and scholars whose skills and
expertise are urgently needed to address serious problems where they are
considered the best to give advice related to their discipline-oriented area of public
interest. The contemporary technological revolution, heated policy debates, and
emerging worrying threats and global issues intensify the need for think tanks, and
thus help in proliferation.
Grown in number and importance, other factors seem to stand behind think
tanks proliferation. McGann (2005:5) presents the following factors as major ones
for the rapid increase of thank tanks all over the world, and in the USA, in
particular, where 1,500 think tanks exist:
1. The existence of a distrust of the public toward the government.
2. The existence of weak political parties.
3. The inclination to have independent experts instead of over bureaucrats or
even politicians.

5. 5
4. The existence of developed charitable/volunteer and civil culture.
5. Division of power between the government three parts (legislative, executive
and judicial) and the levels of government that are namely:
a. The federal level that generally affect the whole country in accordance
with the constitution.
b. The provincial and territorial level that is responsible for areas such as
health care, education, natural resources, road regulations, etc. and
c. The municipal level of government that is responsible in a district, city,
or town for areas such as local police, parks, libraries, community water
systems, roadways, etc.
6. The tendency of citizens to support interest groups instead of political parties
so as to express their preferences in a policy.
Countries around the world are getting more dependent of the product of
think tanks in light of government bureaucracies’ weakness. Countries have
realized that thank tanks are more effectively future-oriented than government
research departments, where disruption usually exists and efforts are rarely
rewarded. In addition, the end of the Cold War, globalization, and the emergence
of transnational problems all helped in the proliferation of think tanks. Think tanks
proved to be much better in facilitating collaboration with separate groups of
researchers for working on one common purpose (McGann, 2005:6).

6. 6
CLASSIFICATION OF THINK TANKS
Think tanks are best understood by looking at their affiliation, culture, and
ideological and political orientation. In this regard Allison (2014), Brodwin (2014)
and McGann (2005) see that think tanks can come under one of the following
types:
1. Academic-diversified think tanks which conduct research and analysis on
several policy issues such as foreign policy, economy, environment, etc.
These think tanks have the support and respect of academic communities,
despite they are trustworthy to be adopted but policy makers. Such think
tanks are objective, independent, and disseminate their product in forms of
studies, research articles, and monographs. A leading example of these think
tanks is The Brookings Institution.
2. Academic-specialized think tanks which are similar to the academic and
scholars diversified think tanks but they are different by degrees of
specialization. They are specialized in a narrow research area such as
economy, for example the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER).
3. Contract Research Organizations which perform the majority of their
research and analysis for government agencies. They usually work to offer
consultations that serve the governmental policy orientation. They rely on

7. 7
contracts with government. Despite the limited degree of freedom they
maintain the objectivity and the quality of quantitative analysis. They
produce a policy analysis rather than research, and thus their product cannot
be disseminated except for the government contract agencies. They have
consulting culture and have reward systems and products determined by the
contract. For example, the Research and Development (RAND), which
initially came as a defense think tank, and now has a set of government
contracts.
4. Advocacy think tanks that promote an opinion. They are driven by a
philosophy, aim to advance a cause, ideology, party, constituency, or
platform, and are rewarded on their ability to advance their cause which
their Litmus test. An example of such thin tanks is the Cato Institute.
5. Policy enterprise that are organized with the efficiency of a corporation that
apply principles of management and marketing to public policy research, for
example, Heritage Foundation and the Economic Policy Institute. These
think tanks prepare research in a form that meets the needs of customers
such as policy makers and politicians, as in the form of a newspaper or short
journalistic studies that concentrate on the public policy concerns. They are
rewarded based on their ability to operate within a tight schedule and their
production of digests that serve action-oriented policy.

8. 8
PERFORMANCE OF THINK TANKS
For a think tank to operate, it needs to place itself in a situation, affiliation,
or a culture that helps policy makers advance their cause. That will help it find and
orientate its efforts. These efforts also require having a place for the institution,
financing, and special well-trained staff.
It is Brookings’ mission to become "the first private organization devoted to
analyzing public policy issues at the national level." Brookings’ founder, the
philanthropist Robert Brookings originally financed the institute and created
affiliation with Washington University. Brookings’ innovative recommendations
helped advance American democracy, promote the economic and social welfare,
and security of Americans, and secure a more safe and cooperative international
system.
To carry out its mission, Brookings Institution, that was established in 1916
as an academic and diversified think tank, has a staff of 98 resident member, 173
adjuncts and 48 visiting researchers. To do its job, Brookings Institution expended
36,393,857 USD in 2011, received a revenue that amounted to 11,384,194 USD
(McGann, 2005).
Known for its rigorous independent academic research, Brookings
Institution, based on its products, could meet its needs by working professionally

9. 9
on three major programs, namely foreign policy, government and economy. To
find customers, close relation with federal government. It gained its revenues from
its economic studies (37%), foreign policy studies (17%), governance studies
(15%), public policy education (11%), publications (10%), external affairs (6%),
and communications (4%) (Source: figures were obtained from
www.guidestar.org.).
The Cato Institute appeared with its current name in 1976 with a focus on to
have a focus on public advocacy, media exposure and societal influence. Cato is
number 16 in the "Top Think Tanks Worldwide" and number 8 in the "Top Think
Tanks in the United States". The Cato Institute's website states that the mission of
the Institute is “to originate, disseminate, and increase understanding of public
policies based on the principles of individual liberty, limited government, free
markets, and peace."
Being conservative and an advocacy think tank that is devoted to promote an
opinion, Cato Institute does its business with 37 residents and 31 adjuncts. In 2011
Cato Institute managed its work with 12,975,701 USD of revenue and 15,630,490
of expenses (Source: figures were obtained from www.guidestar.org.).
In the modern world, think tanks tend to establish branches in different
regions of the world to help the main/head branch of the institution perform better.

10. 10
The first think tank established in the USA, Carnegie Endowment for International
Peace (CEIP), although it embrace 48 residents and 4 visiting researchers in the
main branch with 24,202,448 of revenue and 19,479,319 of expenses (Source:
figures were obtained from www.guidestar.org.), the institute now has three sub-
branches all over the world to help provide advice that serves decision makers in
the areas of international peace.
In order to ensure successful performance of engagement with the public in
regard to the policy relevant knowledge, increasing emphasis is now placed on
disseminating their research, in different means and media that guarantee the
outreach of the final products of their programs. McGann (2005) presents the
following means and media through which think tanks can ensure the outreach of
their services to the public:
1. Targeting the audience via group briefings, seminars, expert meetings and
conferences.
2. Multimedia publications and print publications. Brookings, for example,
holds press conferences to announce new publications, and the Cato institute
tends to issue its journal three times a year. Some other think tanks produce
briefs, information brochures, newsletters, e-mail, and webinars.
3. Websites and portals.

11. 11
4. Keeping relations with government agencies, members of parliament,
judges, representatives from different bodies.
Think tanks tend to measure their performance and the effect they have on
their audience and customers through different indicators, including:
1. Articulation given to the publics, media, elites, governments.
2. Channeling policy currents.
3. Coalition formation.
4. Policy formulation.
5. Networking, iconic projects, demonstration effects).
6. Policy implementation and request for contracting, training and advisory.
7. Resource indicators: stability of support; access to decision makers,
promoted skills of staff, reliability of key contacts
8. Demand indicators expressed via media exposure, reports distributed, web
hits, consultation by official agencies, books sold, numbers of conferences.
9. Impact indicators expressed via recommendations adopted by policymakers,
advisory role to parties, transition teams, awards, citation of publications in
academic journals, listserv, appearance on web, etc.
In relation to think tanks, Brodwin (2014) points out it is the think tank that
“defines the objectives, devise the strategies, and manufacture the ammunition.

12. 12
The war of ideas is a war of words—a war of intellect. It is a war of great
importance… Lenin put it this way: ‘Ideas are much more fatal things than guns.’”
CONCLUSION
It can be concluded that think tanks are badly needed today in light of the
arising challenges and threats. Decision makers are in need for independent or at
least trustworthy consultants that provide recommendations on what to be done for
the service of the public at the national as well as the international arena. They are
getting more and more important than ever.
Think tanks should be welcomed and established all over the world after
proving being essential in advancing causes and providing advice to decision
makers and policy makers as well. Any newly established think tank should focus
its work, identify its affiliation, ideology, area of interest, etc. and find the
appropriate customers, and thus funding, and channels to perform its mission
through. There should be effective measures to be employed by a think tank to
evaluate its performance and effectiveness as well.

13. 13
References
David Brodwin. (2014). What is the Real Purpose of a Think Tank? Retrived on 9
May, 2015 from
http://www.brodwin.com/The_Real_Purpose_of_Think_T.html.
McGann James. (2005).Think Tanks and Policy Advice in The US, Foreign Policy
Research Institute, Philadelphia.
Young-Houser Nancy. (2015). The Importance of Think Tanks. Retrieved on
10May 2015 from
http://www.akgmag.com/article/The_Importance_of_Think_Tanks.htm.
Think tank. (n.d.). The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy,
Third Edition. Retrieved May 09, 2015, from Dictionary.com
website:http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/think tank.
Think tank. Dictionary.com. Online Etymology Dictionary. Douglas Harper,
Historian.http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/think tank (accessed: May
09, 2015).
www.guidestar.org