🚨 Think Tanks: Engines of Knowledge Designing Policy and the Future

Today Korean Social News | 2025.04.14

📌 Policy Think Tanks' Growing Influence...Emerging as 'Knowledge Hubs' Leading Social Change

💬 Major domestic and international think tanks are emerging as key players in solving complex social problems such as climate crisis, low birth rates, and digital transformation. Beyond their traditional roles as government and political party policy advisors, they are positioning themselves as centers of "knowledge ecosystems" that collaborate with civil society and lead social innovation. Particularly noteworthy is the role of think tanks in presenting long-term social visions beyond short-term policies through data-based analysis and multidisciplinary approaches. Experts predict that "the role of independent and specialized think tanks will become increasingly important for solving complex social problems."

Summary

• Think tanks are research institutions that support decision-making by governments, businesses, and civil society through policy research and alternative proposals.
• They are characterized by independence, expertise, and influence, with various types including public, private, and academic think tanks.
• The role of think tanks in solving complex social problems is expanding, and collaboration with diverse stakeholders is becoming increasingly important.

1️⃣ Definition

A Think Tank refers to an independent research institution that specializes in policy research and analysis, and offers alternatives to social issues. Simply put, it can be described as a 'brain trust' or 'knowledge powerhouse' that deeply researches social problems and proposes solutions.

Think tanks provide the knowledge and information needed when governments, businesses, and civil society respond to complex social problems, playing an important role in influencing policy decisions and social change.

💡 Why is it important?

• They provide in-depth analysis and solutions to complex social problems.
• They provide evidence and direction for decision-making by governments, businesses, and civil society.
• They explore directions for social development from a long-term perspective beyond short-term political logic.

2️⃣ Characteristics and Types of Think Tanks

📕 Key Characteristics of Think Tanks

• Think tanks pursue independence, expertise, and influence. One of the most important characteristics of think tanks is independence. Ideally, think tanks conduct independent research and analysis free from specific political forces or interest groups to provide objective and reliable information. Of course, in reality, it may be difficult to maintain complete independence, but objectivity and neutrality are important values directly related to the credibility of think tanks. The second characteristic is expertise. Think tanks analyze complex social issues based on deep knowledge and expertise in specific fields such as economics, diplomacy, security, environment, and welfare. Most think tanks are led by doctoral-level researchers who conduct research that combines academic rigor with practical applicability. The third characteristic is influence or policy orientation. Beyond simply producing knowledge, think tanks aim to have that knowledge translated into actual policies and lead social change. To this end, they exercise influence through various methods such as publishing policy proposals, holding seminars, media activities, and networking with policy makers.

• Think tanks show distinctive characteristics in their research methods and activities. Think tanks have several characteristics that differ from general academic research institutions. First, they take an interdisciplinary approach. Since complex social problems are difficult to solve with a single academic discipline, experts from various fields such as economics, political science, sociology, and engineering collaborate to seek comprehensive solutions. Second, they emphasize practicality over theory. While academic research focuses on theoretical development, think tanks place greater emphasis on solving real-world problems and policy applicability. Third, they pursue timely research. They aim to respond quickly to current or near-future important issues to provide necessary information and alternatives in a timely manner. Fourth, they value communication with the public. Research results from think tanks are not only published in academic journals but are also delivered to the public through various channels such as policy briefings, media contributions, social media, and podcasts. These characteristics enable think tanks to serve as important links between knowledge producers, policy makers, and the public.

📕 Various Types of Think Tanks

• There are various types of think tanks depending on their founding entities and characteristics. Think tanks can be categorized into various types according to their founding entities, funding methods, research fields, and political orientations. First, public think tanks are research institutions established and operated by the government, such as the Korea Development Institute (KDI), Korea Research Institute for Human Settlements, and Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs in Korea. They directly contribute to government policy formulation and evaluation and receive stable financial support, but may have constraints in terms of independence. Second, private independent think tanks are research institutions established with private capital from corporations or foundations, having relatively greater independence and flexibility. Examples include Korea Economic Research Institute in Korea and the Brookings Institution and Heritage Foundation in the United States. Third, academic think tanks are research institutes operated by universities or academic organizations, performing both academic rigor and educational functions. Fourth, advocacy think tanks explicitly pursue specific ideologies or values and propose policy alternatives based on these. They emphasize consistent policy directions from specific perspectives rather than neutrality. Fifth, international think tanks are research institutions established through international organizations or cooperation between multiple countries, focusing on global issues. These various types of think tanks compete and cooperate with each other to form rich policy discourse.

• Research fields and political spectrums are also diverse. Think tanks can also be classified according to their research fields. Comprehensive think tanks deal with a wide range of areas such as economics, diplomacy, security, society, and science and technology, while specialized think tanks focus on specific fields such as environment, health, education, and national defense. Think tanks can also be categorized according to the political spectrum. Conservative think tanks tend to emphasize market-centered economic policies, preservation of traditional values, and strong national defense. On the other hand, progressive think tanks tend to emphasize the active role of government, social equality, and environmental protection. Centrist think tanks pursue practical and neutral approaches without ideological bias. Of course, such categorization risks generalization, and many think tanks may not completely conform to specific ideological frameworks. What is important is that the existence of diverse perspectives of think tanks enables healthy policy discussions and verification. This diversity forms an important foundation for creating better policies in a democratic society.

Major Challenges and Tasks for Think Tanks

1. Independence and Funding: Balancing financial independence and ensuring research autonomy
2. Political Polarization: Maintaining objectivity and reliability amid ideological divisions
3. Measuring Influence: Difficulty in evaluating the actual policy impact of think tank activities
4. Communication with the Public: The challenge of effectively communicating complex research results to the general public
5. Digital Transformation: Adapting to rapidly changing information environments
6. Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Promoting collaboration among experts from various fields
7. International Networks: Strengthening international cooperation to address global issues
8. Ensuring Diversity: Addressing the lack of diversity in research staff and perspectives
9. Short-term Performance Pressure: Conflict between long-term research and demands for short-term results
10. Credibility Crisis: Responding to increasing social distrust of experts

3️⃣ Roles and Influence of Think Tanks

✅ Impact on Policy Formation and Social Change

• Think tanks play an important role in setting policy agendas and developing alternatives. Think tanks have significant influence at various stages of the policy formation process. First, at the agenda-setting stage, they discover and publicize new social problems. They raise awareness of long-term challenges such as climate change, aging, and inequality, and highlight them as policy priorities. Second, at the policy alternative development stage, they propose feasible solutions through in-depth research and analysis. Beyond theoretical discussions, they develop comprehensive alternatives including specific policy tools, budget estimates, and legislative plans. Third, at the policy evaluation and feedback stage, they analyze the effectiveness of existing policies and suggest improvement directions. Data-based objective evaluations form an important foundation for policy continuity and development. These activities are reflected in actual policy decisions through various channels such as media reports, policy briefings, congressional testimony, and government consultation. Especially for complex and technical issues, policy makers tend to rely on the expertise of think tanks.

• Think tanks also contribute to social discourse formation and knowledge sharing. The influence of think tanks is evident not only in direct policy changes but also in social discourse formation and knowledge diffusion. First, they contribute to enlivening the public sphere. They promote public discussion on policy issues through various methods such as research reports, media contributions, conferences, and podcasts. This plays an important role in increasing citizens' understanding of policies and expanding participation in democratic societies. Second, they pursue the popularization of expert knowledge. They contribute to knowledge democratization by conveying complex social problems and policy alternatives in ways that are easy for ordinary citizens to understand. Third, they lead discussions on long-term vision and values. They stimulate discussions about the long-term direction and values that society should pursue beyond short-term political logic. Fourth, they promote international knowledge exchange. Through global networks, they introduce international policy trends and innovation cases domestically, and share domestic experiences with the international community. This knowledge diffusion and discourse formation is as important a social contribution of think tanks as direct policy change.

✅ Major Domestic and International Think Tank Cases

• Influential think tanks around the world are engaged in various activities. Thousands of think tanks are active worldwide, with particularly influential institutions playing major roles in policy formation. The Brookings Institution in the United States, established in 1916, is one of the world's leading think tanks, conducting research from a center-left perspective in various fields such as economics, diplomacy, and urban policy. Chatham House in the UK is a think tank specializing in international relations and security, also famous for the 'Chatham House Rule' (a principle of non-disclosure of the source of statements in closed discussions). The Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Germany is a political foundation that promotes international democracy and human rights. The Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in China is a large government-led comprehensive research institution that has a significant influence on China's economic development and policy direction. While these think tanks have different forms and influences according to each country's political system and cultural context, they commonly play important roles in policy discourse formation and knowledge production.

• Various think tanks are also actively operating in Korea. In Korea, think tanks began to develop in earnest from the 1970s, and currently, numerous research institutions are active in various sectors including public, private, and academic fields. The Korea Development Institute (KDI), established in 1971, is Korea's representative public think tank that has played a key role in economic policy analysis and national development strategy formulation. The Sejong Institute is a specialized think tank in diplomacy and security, focusing on research on Korean Peninsula peace and international relations. In the private sector, there are research institutes established by large corporations. Samsung Economic Research Institute (now Samsung Future Strategy Center) and Hyundai Research Institute are representative examples, playing important roles in industry strategy and economic outlook analysis. In the civil society sector, the People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy Policy Institute and Green Union Green Society Research Institute are proposing policy alternatives from a citizen's perspective. Additionally, the East Asia Institute (EAI) and the Asan Institute for Policy Studies are private independent think tanks conducting research in various fields such as diplomacy, security, and governance. These Korean think tanks have contributed to policy development and social progress during industrialization and democratization, and are now actively participating in developing responses to new social challenges such as low birth rates, climate change, and digital transformation.

4️⃣ Related Terminology

🔎 Policy Advocacy Coalition

• A policy advocacy coalition refers to a network of various actors who support a specific policy.
• A Policy Advocacy Coalition refers to a network of various actors who share common beliefs and values in a specific policy area and act together for policy change. This concept was proposed by political scientist Paul Sabatier and is used as an important framework for understanding policy change. A policy advocacy coalition can include various entities such as politicians, government officials, think tank researchers, civil society activists, journalists, and business people. They share knowledge and resources and collaborate to achieve common policy goals. For example, a policy advocacy coalition for climate change response might include environment-related think tanks, environmental organizations, eco-friendly businesses, environmental specialist journalists, and relevant department officials. Think tanks play an important role as knowledge producers and mediators within such policy advocacy coalitions. They provide grounds for policy claims through professional research and analysis and facilitate communication between various stakeholders. Policy advocacy coalitions aim for long-term policy paradigm shifts rather than being simple pressure groups, pursuing policy innovation through social learning and value change.

🔎 Policy Knowledge Ecosystem

• A policy knowledge ecosystem refers to a comprehensive system where policy-related knowledge is produced, distributed, and utilized.
• A Policy Knowledge Ecosystem refers to a complex system where knowledge related to policies is produced, distributed, and utilized. This ecosystem consists of interactions between knowledge producers (think tanks, universities, research institutes, etc.), intermediaries (media, consulting firms, etc.), and users (policy makers, civil society organizations, businesses, general citizens, etc.). In a healthy policy knowledge ecosystem, diverse perspectives of knowledge are produced and effectively delivered to policy makers and citizens, contributing to better decision-making. On the other hand, if only biased knowledge is produced or if the knowledge delivery process is disconnected, the quality of policies may deteriorate. The policy knowledge ecosystem is rapidly changing with the development of digital technology. Social media, data analysis, visualization technology, etc. are changing the ways policy knowledge is produced and spread, allowing more actors to participate in knowledge production and policy discussions. Think tanks are key members of this policy knowledge ecosystem, playing a role in producing quality knowledge and effectively spreading it. They also contribute to increasing the vitality of the ecosystem by forming networks between various stakeholders and promoting knowledge exchange between different domains.

🔎 Evidence-Based Policy

• Evidence-based policy is an approach to establishing policies based on objective data and research results.
• Evidence-Based Policy refers to an approach to establishing and implementing policies based on objective data and systematic research results rather than intuition or ideology. This concept was inspired by 'evidence-based medicine' in the medical field and has been widely spread in the policy field since the 2000s. Evidence-based policy aims to increase policy effectiveness, efficiently utilize resources, and reduce the risk of policy failure. To this end, it emphasizes policy evaluation and analysis using scientific methodologies such as randomized controlled trials, quasi-experimental designs, systematic literature reviews, and meta-analyses. Think tanks play an important role in the spread of evidence-based policy. First, they produce policy-related evidence by applying rigorous research methodologies. Second, they derive policy implications by synthesizing and analyzing existing research and data. Third, they support policy makers in understanding and utilizing evidence. However, evidence-based policy also has limitations. Perfect evidence applicable to all policy problems does not exist, and value judgments and ethical considerations are also important elements in policy decisions. Therefore, a balanced perspective is needed that evidence is an important foundation for policy decisions, but not the only criterion.

5️⃣ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: What are the differences between think tanks and university research institutes?

A: Think tanks and university research institutes are similar in that they produce knowledge, but there are important differences in their purpose, operation method, and research characteristics. First, there are differences in purpose and direction. Think tanks primarily aim for policy influence and social change, focusing on presenting realistic policy alternatives. On the other hand, university research institutes prioritize academic development and education, paying more attention to theoretical exploration and basic research.

Second, there are differences in how research topics are selected. Think tanks set research agendas centering on policy issues that attract social attention or topics for which there is demand from the government or corporations. University research institutes tend to select research topics more freely according to the academic interests of researchers.

Third, there are differences in the form and target of research outputs. Think tanks publish research results in highly accessible forms such as policy briefs, issue papers, and media contributions, targeting policy makers and the public as their main readers. University research institutes publish research results in highly specialized forms such as academic papers and scholarly books, mainly targeting the academic community.

Fourth, there are differences in research cycles and timeliness. Think tanks often conduct research in relatively short cycles to respond quickly to current issues. University research institutes tend to conduct more in-depth research from a long-term perspective.

Of course, these distinctions are not always clear, and there is considerable overlap and cooperation between the two types of institutions. Recently, university research institutes also emphasize social influence, and think tanks also strengthen academic rigor. The two types of institutions complement each other rather than compete, enriching the knowledge ecosystem.

Q: How do think tanks secure funding?

A: The methods of securing funding for think tanks vary depending on the type of institution and the national situation. The main methods of fundraising are as follows. First, there are government grants. Public think tanks receive direct support from the government budget, and private think tanks also often secure funding through government research contracts or project grants. In Korea, national research institutions affiliated with the National Research Council for Economics, Humanities and Social Sciences receive basic operating expenses from the government.

Second, there is sponsorship from private foundations. Especially in the United States, large charitable foundations such as the Ford Foundation, MacArthur Foundation, and Gates Foundation play important roles as sponsors of think tanks. These foundations provide long-term support for research to solve specific social problems or promote public interest.

Third, there is corporate sponsorship and donation. Companies sponsor think tanks in their areas of interest or as part of corporate social responsibility, and sometimes maintain continuous relationships through board participation or membership programs. Think tanks directly established by corporations receive stable financial support from their parent companies.

Fourth, there is income from research contracts and consulting. Many think tanks earn income by undertaking policy research, evaluation, and advisory services from government agencies, international organizations, and corporations. This is an important way to increase financial sustainability, but it can also be a factor that affects independence.

Fifth, there are individual donations and membership operations. Some think tanks raise funds by receiving donations from like-minded individuals or operating membership systems. This is an important source of funding, especially for civil society-based think tanks.

The financial structure of think tanks is an important issue directly related to independence. Securing diverse sources of funding and reducing dependence on specific sponsors helps maintain objectivity and independence of research. Additionally, transparent disclosure of financial sources is an important factor in increasing the credibility of think tanks.

Q: Can ordinary citizens participate in think tank activities?

A: Yes, ordinary citizens can participate in or influence think tank activities in various ways. Traditionally, think tanks were expert-centered institutions, but recently, the trend of expanding citizen participation and cooperation has strengthened. The ways in which ordinary citizens can participate in think tank-related activities are as follows.

First, they can attend public events and discussions hosted by think tanks. Many think tanks hold seminars, forums, workshops, etc., to share research results and discuss policy issues, and these events are generally open to interested citizens. Recently, online events have also increased, expanding opportunities to participate without geographical constraints.

Second, they can participate in citizen-participatory research projects. Some think tanks introduce Citizen Science methods or Participatory Research methods, providing opportunities for citizens to directly participate in data collection, idea proposals, and sharing field experiences.

Third, they can express opinions and participate in discussions through think tanks' online platforms. They can provide feedback on think tanks' research topics or published policy proposals through social media, blogs, community forums, etc.

Fourth, they can participate in membership or sponsorship programs operated by some think tanks. Through this, they can regularly receive research results, be invited to special events, or contribute to supporting specific research.

Fifth, they can work as volunteers or interns at civil society-based think tanks. Even without professional research capabilities, there are opportunities to contribute in various ways such as administrative support, event operation, and promotional activities.

The connection between think tanks and civil society can lead to richer policy discourse, increase the reality relevance of research, and ultimately lead to the development of more effective policy alternatives through two-way communication. Citizen participation is an important element in the development of think tanks as open knowledge communities that actively communicate with society rather than being isolated in an 'ivory tower'.