Monday, September 23, 2013

New Book: What Should Think Tanks Do?

Stanford University Press has just released a new book by Andrew Selee titled "What Should Think Tanks Do? A Strategic Guide to Policy Impact."

Here is a description:
Think tanks and research organizations set out to influence policy ideas and decisions—a goal that is key to the very fabric of these organizations. And yet, the ways that they actually achieve impact or measure progress along these lines remains fuzzy and underexplored. What Should Think Tanks Do? A Strategic Guide for Policy Impact is the first practical guide that is specifically tailored to think tanks, policy research, and advocacy organizations. Author Andrew Selee draws on extensive interviews with members of leading think tanks, as well as cutting-edge thinking in business and non-profit management, to provide concrete strategies for setting policy-oriented goals and shaping public opinion. Concise and practically-minded, What Should Think Tanks Do? helps those with an interest in think tanks to envision a well-oiled machine, while giving leaders in these organizations tools and tangible metrics to drive and evaluate success.
You can read the introduction here.  You can read the preface here.

Andrew Selee is Vice President for Programs at the Wilson Center, and Senior Advisor to the think tank's Mexico Institute, of which he is the Founding Director.

Think Tank Watch plans on reading and reviewing the book, so stay tuned...