May 22
Foreign funders need proof of their grantees' influence because they do not know enough about their political contexts. If think tank funders were less like risk-adverse tourist and more like local politically engaged citizens they would not demand impact evaluations and complicated indicators of influence. But to avoid this, funding needs to be local.
In this week's Managing Think Tanks chapter, managers would do well to structure their research output in order to maximise effectiveness and staff satisfaction.
Developing countries are investing in science and technology - while seemingly neglecting the social sciences.
Calls for new think tanks in Africa are getting more common. But while some see an opportunity for supporting the formation of several think tanks others favour large national Brookings-style centres. One big one or a few small ones?
In this week's Managing Think Tanks chapter, balance scorecards are discussed in order for think tank leaders to have the best information about their organisations' areas.
News, events and job announcements from think tanks and donors around the world for think tanks and think tankers.
Donors are always keen to fund organisations working in 'networks' or 'partnerships' but are not willing to support the long and unpredictable processes that lead to their formation. The Chilean Government, not strange to innovation in the field of research, has launched a competition to do precisely that: support links between Chilean and foreign centres.
Think tanks are too passive when it comes to the design of initiatives intended to support them. Funders and contractors treat them as recipients of Aid and think tanks let this happen. Instead, they should take the initiative and improve their negotiation position by developing, in collaboration with others, their own support plans.
In this week's Managing Think Tanks chapter, we focus on the importance of think tanks having an understanding of its costs, and control and accountability of its use of sponsor funding. Two methods are outlined for including indirect costs into project cost allocation.
What is the future of think tank communications? IPPR, ODI, the Social Market Foundation and the Economist come together at an event in London to try to address this. The report of the event in itself is a perfect example of what can be done with very little effort -but careful planning.
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