Andrew Selee, "What Should Think Tanks Do? A Strategic Guide to Policy Impact" (Stanford UP, 2013)

Summary

Andrew Selee is the author of What Should Think Tanks Do? A Strategic Guide to Policy Impact (Stanford UP, 2013). Dr. Selee is vice president for programs at the Wilson Center. Selee offers a quick and informative guide to think tanks and research institutes about how to pursue their goals. Selee recommends five strategic questions that all think tanks should ask:
  1. What does the organization want to achieve?
  2. What does the organization do that makes a unique contribution?
  3. Who are the organization's key audiences and how does it reach them?
  4. What resources does the organization need and how can it develop them?
  5. How does the organization evaluate impact and learn from its experience?
The book provides countless examples of how successful think tanks incorporate the answers to these questions into the strategies they use to meet their mission. Selee's observations and advice can help a variety of types of organizations succeed in the policy arena.

Your Host

Heath Brown

View Profile