Think Tanks’ Influence on the Front-End of the Policymaking Process: Empirical Evidence from the United States

Tian Wu

doi:doi:10.11648/j.ajmse.20180304.11

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Think Tanks’ Influence on the Front-End of the Policymaking Process: Empirical Evidence from the United States

Tian Wu

Published in American Journal of Management Science and Engineering (Volume 3, Issue 4)

Received: 3 September 2018 Accepted: 15 September 2018 Published: 15 October 2018

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Abstract

One of the most important goals for think tanks is to influence the public policy. Therefore, the way that think tanks influence the process of making public policies is worth thinking about. It is widely known that the United States has the largest number of and most influential think tanks in the world. Paying more attention to the front end, this paper chose to focus on the policy process perspective to analyze the think tank’s influence on the public policy by using the United States as an example. Referring to the “Multiple-Streams” theory, this paper built a mechanism framework from the perspectives of the problem stream, the policy stream and the political stream. Furthermore, this paper used the example of three typical types of think tanks from the United States to deeply analyze the location and the influential patterns of the think tanks. Which are the academic type, contract type and advocacy type. Think tanks have very important influence on the public agenda setting. In this process, think tanks are usually with the help of media and public opinions to influence the problem stream, with the help of their own research ability and reputation to influence the policy stream, and with the help of the core departments’ personal exchange to influence the political stream. Different types of think tanks focus on different aspects and make the process of formulating public policies in the United States more scientific and rational.

Published in	American Journal of Management Science and Engineering (Volume 3, Issue 4)
DOI	10.11648/j.ajmse.20180304.11
Page(s)	30-37
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2018. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Think Tank, Public Policy, Problem Stream, Policy Stream, Political Stream

References

[1]	Mcgann, J. G. (2018) “Global Go to Think Tanks Index Report (11th edition).” Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program, University of Pennsylvania, 2018.
[2]	Xufeng, Zhu. (2009) “China Think Tank: Influence Studies in Policy Process.” Beijing: Tsinghua University Press.
[3]	Weaver, K R. (1989) “The Changing World of Think Tanks.” Ps Political Science & Politics, 22(3):563-578.
[4]	Mcgann, J. G. (2007) “Think tanks and policy advice in the US: Academics, advisors and advocates.” Routledge.
[5]	Mills, C. W. (1957) “The power elite.” Political Science Quarterly 71(4):955-973.
[6]	Smith, J. A. (1993) “The Idea Brokers: Think Tanks and the Rise of the New Policy Elite,” New York: The Free Press.
[7]	Dahl, R A. (1967) “Pluralist democracy in the United States: conflict and consent.” Rand McNally.
[8]	Rich, A. (2004) “Think Tanks, Public Policy, and the Politics of Expertise”.
[9]	Wiarda, H. J. (2010) “Think Tanks and Foreign Policy：the Foreign Policy Research Institute and Presidential Politics.”
[10]	Stone, D. (1998) “Capturing the political imagination: think tanks and the policy process.”
[11]	Stone, D. & Denham, A. (2004) “Think Tank Traditions: Policy Research and the Politics of Ideas.”
[12]	Mcgann, J. G. & Sabatini, R. (2011) “Global Think Tanks: Policy Networks and Governance.”
[13]	Kingdon, J. W. (1984) “Agendas, alternatives, and Public Policies.” Little, Brown Books.
[14]	Abelson, D. E. (2009) “Do Think Tanks Matter?:Assessing the Impact of Public Policy Institute.” MQUP.
[15]	Mcgann, J. G. & Weaver, R. K. (2002) “Think Tanks & Civil Societies: Catalysts for Ideas and Action.” Transaction Pub. 37-39.
[16]	www.brookings.edu/.
[17]	www.rand.org/.
[18]	www.heritage.org/.
[19]	www.brookings.edu/research/tracking-turnover-in-the-trump-administration/
[20]	www.prgs.edu/

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APA Style

Tian Wu. (2018). Think Tanks’ Influence on the Front-End of the Policymaking Process: Empirical Evidence from the United States. American Journal of Management Science and Engineering, 3(4), 30-37. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajmse.20180304.11

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ACS Style

Tian Wu. Think Tanks’ Influence on the Front-End of the Policymaking Process: Empirical Evidence from the United States. Am. J. Manag. Sci. Eng. 2018, 3(4), 30-37. doi: 10.11648/j.ajmse.20180304.11

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AMA Style

Tian Wu. Think Tanks’ Influence on the Front-End of the Policymaking Process: Empirical Evidence from the United States. Am J Manag Sci Eng. 2018;3(4):30-37. doi: 10.11648/j.ajmse.20180304.11

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@article{10.11648/j.ajmse.20180304.11,
  author = {Tian Wu},
  title = {Think Tanks’ Influence on the Front-End of the Policymaking Process: Empirical Evidence from the United States},
  journal = {American Journal of Management Science and Engineering},
  volume = {3},
  number = {4},
  pages = {30-37},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ajmse.20180304.11},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajmse.20180304.11},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajmse.20180304.11},
  abstract = {One of the most important goals for think tanks is to influence the public policy. Therefore, the way that think tanks influence the process of making public policies is worth thinking about. It is widely known that the United States has the largest number of and most influential think tanks in the world. Paying more attention to the front end, this paper chose to focus on the policy process perspective to analyze the think tank’s influence on the public policy by using the United States as an example. Referring to the “Multiple-Streams” theory, this paper built a mechanism framework from the perspectives of the problem stream, the policy stream and the political stream. Furthermore, this paper used the example of three typical types of think tanks from the United States to deeply analyze the location and the influential patterns of the think tanks. Which are the academic type, contract type and advocacy type. Think tanks have very important influence on the public agenda setting. In this process, think tanks are usually with the help of media and public opinions to influence the problem stream, with the help of their own research ability and reputation to influence the policy stream, and with the help of the core departments’ personal exchange to influence the political stream. Different types of think tanks focus on different aspects and make the process of formulating public policies in the United States more scientific and rational.},
 year = {2018}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Think Tanks’ Influence on the Front-End of the Policymaking Process: Empirical Evidence from the United States
AU  - Tian Wu
Y1  - 2018/10/15
PY  - 2018
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajmse.20180304.11
DO  - 10.11648/j.ajmse.20180304.11
T2  - American Journal of Management Science and Engineering
JF  - American Journal of Management Science and Engineering
JO  - American Journal of Management Science and Engineering
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EP  - 37
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2575-1379
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajmse.20180304.11
AB  - One of the most important goals for think tanks is to influence the public policy. Therefore, the way that think tanks influence the process of making public policies is worth thinking about. It is widely known that the United States has the largest number of and most influential think tanks in the world. Paying more attention to the front end, this paper chose to focus on the policy process perspective to analyze the think tank’s influence on the public policy by using the United States as an example. Referring to the “Multiple-Streams” theory, this paper built a mechanism framework from the perspectives of the problem stream, the policy stream and the political stream. Furthermore, this paper used the example of three typical types of think tanks from the United States to deeply analyze the location and the influential patterns of the think tanks. Which are the academic type, contract type and advocacy type. Think tanks have very important influence on the public agenda setting. In this process, think tanks are usually with the help of media and public opinions to influence the problem stream, with the help of their own research ability and reputation to influence the policy stream, and with the help of the core departments’ personal exchange to influence the political stream. Different types of think tanks focus on different aspects and make the process of formulating public policies in the United States more scientific and rational.
VL  - 3
IS  - 4
ER  -

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Author Information

Tian Wu

Chinese Academy of Social Sciences Evaluation Studies, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Beijing, China

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Plain Text BibTeX RIS

APA Style

Tian Wu. (2018). Think Tanks’ Influence on the Front-End of the Policymaking Process: Empirical Evidence from the United States. American Journal of Management Science and Engineering, 3(4), 30-37. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajmse.20180304.11

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ACS Style

Tian Wu. Think Tanks’ Influence on the Front-End of the Policymaking Process: Empirical Evidence from the United States. Am. J. Manag. Sci. Eng. 2018, 3(4), 30-37. doi: 10.11648/j.ajmse.20180304.11

Copy | Download

AMA Style

Tian Wu. Think Tanks’ Influence on the Front-End of the Policymaking Process: Empirical Evidence from the United States. Am J Manag Sci Eng. 2018;3(4):30-37. doi: 10.11648/j.ajmse.20180304.11

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.ajmse.20180304.11,
  author = {Tian Wu},
  title = {Think Tanks’ Influence on the Front-End of the Policymaking Process: Empirical Evidence from the United States},
  journal = {American Journal of Management Science and Engineering},
  volume = {3},
  number = {4},
  pages = {30-37},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ajmse.20180304.11},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajmse.20180304.11},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajmse.20180304.11},
  abstract = {One of the most important goals for think tanks is to influence the public policy. Therefore, the way that think tanks influence the process of making public policies is worth thinking about. It is widely known that the United States has the largest number of and most influential think tanks in the world. Paying more attention to the front end, this paper chose to focus on the policy process perspective to analyze the think tank’s influence on the public policy by using the United States as an example. Referring to the “Multiple-Streams” theory, this paper built a mechanism framework from the perspectives of the problem stream, the policy stream and the political stream. Furthermore, this paper used the example of three typical types of think tanks from the United States to deeply analyze the location and the influential patterns of the think tanks. Which are the academic type, contract type and advocacy type. Think tanks have very important influence on the public agenda setting. In this process, think tanks are usually with the help of media and public opinions to influence the problem stream, with the help of their own research ability and reputation to influence the policy stream, and with the help of the core departments’ personal exchange to influence the political stream. Different types of think tanks focus on different aspects and make the process of formulating public policies in the United States more scientific and rational.},
 year = {2018}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - Think Tanks’ Influence on the Front-End of the Policymaking Process: Empirical Evidence from the United States
AU  - Tian Wu
Y1  - 2018/10/15
PY  - 2018
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajmse.20180304.11
DO  - 10.11648/j.ajmse.20180304.11
T2  - American Journal of Management Science and Engineering
JF  - American Journal of Management Science and Engineering
JO  - American Journal of Management Science and Engineering
SP  - 30
EP  - 37
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2575-1379
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajmse.20180304.11
AB  - One of the most important goals for think tanks is to influence the public policy. Therefore, the way that think tanks influence the process of making public policies is worth thinking about. It is widely known that the United States has the largest number of and most influential think tanks in the world. Paying more attention to the front end, this paper chose to focus on the policy process perspective to analyze the think tank’s influence on the public policy by using the United States as an example. Referring to the “Multiple-Streams” theory, this paper built a mechanism framework from the perspectives of the problem stream, the policy stream and the political stream. Furthermore, this paper used the example of three typical types of think tanks from the United States to deeply analyze the location and the influential patterns of the think tanks. Which are the academic type, contract type and advocacy type. Think tanks have very important influence on the public agenda setting. In this process, think tanks are usually with the help of media and public opinions to influence the problem stream, with the help of their own research ability and reputation to influence the policy stream, and with the help of the core departments’ personal exchange to influence the political stream. Different types of think tanks focus on different aspects and make the process of formulating public policies in the United States more scientific and rational.
VL  - 3
IS  - 4
ER  -

Copy | Download