Think Tank Methods

Dr. Aly, O.
Computer Science

Purpose

The purpose of this discussion is to research some of the think tank concepts and methods that are deliberate and foster innovation. The discussion will address some key points about each method.

Discussion

Think Tank is also known as “Reflection Pool” (Caliva & Scheier, 1992).  It was developed to assist in addressing the needs to expand the process of thinking without restriction (Caliva & Scheier, 1992).  The traditional way for solving problems and learning include conferences, workshops and so forth (Caliva & Scheier, 1992).  However, with Think Tank, the techniques go beyond the traditional method to include simulating creativity in the field, developing holistic thinking patterns, providing powerful tools to deal with complex and long-term problems, challenging restlessly creative leaders, and renewing the participants’ spirit (Caliva & Scheier, 1992).

There is no consensus on the definition of the Think Tank, despite the considerable efforts of the academic literature to define Think Tank and to establish its topology (Kelstrup, n.d.).  Think Tank is defined in various studies and journals.  The term “Think Tank” is defined as a structure for a group that focuses on providing a solution to a particular problem in the technology and science domain (Caliva & Scheier, 1992).  However, it is regarded as a process rather than a structure by (Caliva & Scheier, 1992).  Thus, the term can be defined as “a process for in-depth consideration of issues and challenges whose relevance reaches beyond the individual or program and the immediate time frame.” (Caliva & Scheier, 1992).  In (Shaw, Russell, Greenhalgh, & Korica, 2014), Think Thank is described as “a civil society organization specializing in the production and dissemination of knowledge related to public policy” (Shaw et al., 2014).  In (Whittenhauer, n.d.), the Think Tank is described as “an organization that assembles experts with the sole purpose of coming together to think—more specifically, to think of ideas on how to solve a particular problem” (Whittenhauer, n.d.).   In (Hauck, 2017) Think Tanks are described as “organizations that have to proliferate, playing more and more the role of very relevant actors on the political scene in clashes over interests, preferences, and ideas for the formation of public policies” (Hauck, 2017).  In (Kelstrup, n.d.), Think Tanks are described as agents established globally in public policy across different levels of governance (Kelstrup, n.d.).  

Some indicated that the first proliferation wave of Think Tanks began in the United States and the United Kingdom at the turn of the twenty century (Hauck, 2017).  Most of the Think Tanks in the United States are funded by the government or political advocacy groups (Whittenhauer, n.d.). However, some of the Think Tank are established as for-profit organizations which sell their intellectual property or ideas to businesses and government (Whittenhauer, n.d.).  In Western Europe, the government finances 75% of German Think Tanks, to include public organizations in the studies (Hauck, 2017).  As indicated in (Shaw et al., 2014), around 6500 Think Tanks are operating across 169 countries and representing a range of organizations and interests (Shaw et al., 2014).   The role of the Think Tanks is increasing in healthcare domain worldwide through the work of organizations such as “Commonwealth Fund” in the US, the King’s Fund in the UK, and the Health and Global Policy Institute in Japan.  These organizations support health services research and policy analysis such as surveying trends in health coverage and communicating their work through media briefings and research seminars to shaping the health policy and planning (Shaw et al., 2014).

Two Major Concepts of Autonomous and Influence:  The two major concepts of Think Tank are the autonomy and influence (Kelstrup, n.d.).  These two concepts are drawn from existing literature on the definitions and description of the Think Tank (Kelstrup, n.d.).  Thus, the general definition of Think Tank is “Organizations that claim autonomy from and attempt to influence public policy” (Kelstrup, n.d.).  Based on these two underlying concepts, two dimensions are formed to include demand-driven and supply-driven (Kelstrup, n.d.).  Two main perspectives are categorized under each of these two dimensions; “political policy world,” and “administrative policy world” (Kelstrup, n.d.).  The “political policy world” perspective include two main sub-categories; the “political advisor” under the demand-driven dimension, and the “instrumental” under the supply-driven dimension (Kelstrup, n.d.).  Under the “political advisor,” which is the demand-driven approach, Think Tank meet the demand for biased knowledge (Kelstrup, n.d.).  Under the “instrumental,” which is the supply-driven approach, Think Tank supply normative knowledge by stakeholder interests (Kelstrup, n.d.).  The “administrative policy world” perspective include two main sub-categories; the “administrative, institutional” and “network” (Kelstrup, n.d.).  Using the “administrative institutional” that is the demand-driven approach, Think Tank meet the demand for cognitive knowledge (Kelstrup, n.d.).  In the “network,” which is the supply-driven approach, Think Tank supply cognitive knowledge to public administration (Kelstrup, n.d.).

Two Major Models of “one roof” and “without roof”:  There are two models for the Think Tank; the “one roof” Think Tank model and “without a roof” Think Tank model (Whittenhauer, n.d.).  In the “one roof” Think Tank Model, the diversified group comes in one place “under one roof” and interacts together face to face (Whittenhauer, n.d.).   Before the “one roof” model, the participants of the Think Tank communicated through phones and written correspondences (Whittenhauer, n.d.).  The costs that are associated with “one roof” model such as travel was a factor in decreasing the interaction among the Think Tank members (Whittenhauer, n.d.).  This model of “one roof” is regarded to be an effective Think Tank approach when immediate interactive conservation facilitates the intensified thought process (Whittenhauer, n.d.).  In 2009, the second model of “without roof” Think Tank model is used by organizations which do not have to fund the “one roof” model (Whittenhauer, n.d.).  The “without a roof” Think Tank model is more effective than the “one roof” because it does not require the funding that is required by the “one roof” on travel costs and so forth.  The “without roof” Think Tank model spends most of the money on research and the required costs for computers and utilities are not paid by think tank organization using this model (Whittenhauer, n.d.). 

Five Think Tank Techniques:  In (Penttila, 2007), there are five Think Tank techniques that enhance innovation: “combine ideas,” “think backward,” “do rapid prototyping,” “Create an internal incubation fund,” and “take it online” (Penttila, 2007).  Example of the “Combine Ideas” technique is the interactions between ideas and the methods to merge them which is used by Xerox (Penttila, 2007).  Example of “Think Backward” technique is the innovation method of McDonald by “backcasting” the product to see the end product first and work towards that end product (Penttila, 2007).  Example of “Do Rapid Prototyping” is McDonald which puts ideas through fast prototyping for a short period such as one day (Penttila, 2007).  Example of the “Create an internal incubation fund” is Xerox which sets aside funds that encourage employees to network and chase ideas that otherwise would not have a budget (Penttila, 2007).  For the “Take it online” Think Tank technique, as cited in (Penttila, 2007), Anthony Warren, the director of the Farrell Center for Corporate Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Penn State states that “Everybody can contribute all the time” (Penttila, 2007).

The Most Influential Think Tanks:  In (TBS, 2015), there are fifty most influential Think Tanks in the United States.  However, for this Discussion Board, the researcher is covering only the first five of these most influential Think Tanks in the United States.  The first Think Tank in the US that has great influence is “Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs” established in 1973 to analyze arms control and nuclear threat reduction (TBS, 2015).  The “Earth Institute” is the second influential Think Tank in US established in 1995 focusing on addressing important global issues such as sustainable development and the needs of the world’s poor (TBS, 2015).  The third most influential Think Tank is “Heritage Foundation” established in 1973 (TBS, 2015).  The focus of the Heritage Foundation is to track the yearly growth of federal spending, revenue, debt and deficit, and entitlement programs, which it then publishes as the Budget Chart Book and distributes free to the public.  The fourth most influential Think Tank is “Human Rights Watch” established in 1978 with the goal to conduct research and advocacy on human rights (TBS, 2015).  Kaiser Family Foundation is one of the first five most influential Think Tank founded in 1948 focusing on major health care issues in the US and the world (TBS, 2015).

References

Caliva, L., & Scheier, I. H. (1992). The Think Tank Techniques. Retrieved from http://academic.regis.edu/volunteer/ivan/sect03/sect03b.htm, The Center for Creative Community(Santa Fe, New Mexico).

Hauck, J. C. R. (2017). What are ‘Think Tanks’? Revisiting the Dilemma of the Definition *. Brazilian Political Science Review, 11(2), 1-30. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/1981-3821201700020006

Kelstrup, J. D. (n.d.). Four Think Tank Perspectives. Retrieved from http://www.lse.ac.uk/europeanInstitute/pdfs/Kelstrup_EILS.pdf.

Penttila, C. (2007). 5 Big Biz Think Tank Techniques. Retrieved from https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/174688.

Shaw, S., Russell, J., Greenhalgh, T., & Korica, M. (2014). Thinking about Think Tanks in Health Care: a call for a New Research Agenda.

TBS. (2015). The 50 Most Influential Think Tanks in the United States. The Best Schools: Retrieved from https://thebestschools.org/features/most-influential-think-tanks/.

Whittenhauer, K. (n.d.). Effective Think Tank Methods. Retrieved from http://classroom.synonym.com/effective-think-tank-methods-5728092.html.