How are top foreign think tanks created?
Editor’s note:
On December 8, 2016, Chahar Roundtable (Issue 46) and " How Think Tanks Are Made: Case Studies on the Internationalization of Foreign Think Tanks" new book launch conference was held in Beijing. The theme of this roundtable was "Experiences and Enlightenments of the Internationalization of Foreign Think Tanks".
After entering the era of globalization, internationalization has gradually become an important feature and direction of the development of contemporary think tanks. At present, the development of think tanks in developed countries in the world has shown obvious international characteristics, and its international influence is very huge. To study the development of Chinese think tanks, we cannot do without the analysis of international cases of foreign think tanks.
The publication of "How Think Tanks Are Made: Case Studies on the Internationalization of Foreign Think Tanks" has attracted the attention of the industry. The work was published by Jiangsu People's Publishing House and edited by Ke Yinbin, a senior researcher at the Charhar Institute, and Lu Xiaoli, a researcher. The content laid the foundation for the development of the world's top ten think tanks and provided a "stone from other mountains" for the construction of new think tanks with Chinese characteristics.
As China’s unofficial diplomacy and international relations think tank, the Chahar Institute is committed to building a new international think tank. Dr. Han Fangming, deputy director of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and chairman of the Chahar Society, once pointed out that the internationalization of the Chahar Society needs to learn from the internationalization experience of foreign think tanks. Therefore, the two authors of this book, who are members of the research team of the society, specially A comprehensive study was conducted on the top ten foreign think tanks in the field of diplomacy and international relations, and finally the writing of this book was completed. The Chahar Institute has extracted wonderful chapters from the book for readers. What we present to you today are excerpts about the development characteristics of the Aspen Institute and its implications for Chinese think tanks.
Editor’s note: The Aspen Institute was formerly known as the “Aspen Institute of Humanistic Studies” and was founded by Walter Pepke, a German-American businessman in Chicago. (Walter Paepcke), its predecessor was an event held by Pepcke in Aspen, Colorado in 1949 to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the birth of the great German writer Goethe. The following year, Pepke founded the Aspen Humanities Society.
The Aspen Society is not limited to the dissemination and research of German culture, but is also committed to the study of human values ????and some debates based on human love and creativity, and extends to the broader humanities. field of study. According to the founder of the society, the society “hopes that leaders from all walks of life will provide a place where they can think and discuss with each other in a quiet environment to exchange opinions on various political issues faced by modern human society. , for the purpose of exploring future civilization." Today, the Aspen Institute has become one of the most famous academic and ideological institutions in the United States and even the world.
As for American think tanks, we pay most attention to the Brookings Institution and regard it as the representative institution of American think tanks. In fact, American think tanks are also diverse. For example, the development of the Aspen Institute introduced in this case is quite unique. In a sense, the Aspen Institute may be of greater learning and reference significance to Chinese social think tanks than the Brookings Institution.
Core figures: Entrepreneurs dominate
The Aspen Institute, established in 1950, has a history of nearly 65 years. Its three core figures are all entrepreneurs or large-scale Senior corporate managers. The founder and first chairman, Walter Pepke, was an industrial entrepreneur who founded the American Container Shipping Association; Joseph Slatto, who served as chairman in 1969, had been engaged in economic research at Stendart Petroleum Company. The Ford Group serves as international minister; the current chairman and CEO is Walter Isaacson, the former chairman of CNN (Editor's Note: Cable News Network, abbreviated as CNN).
As the core figure of a think tank, entrepreneurs have at least two unique functions: one is to use their status and network resources in the corporate world to raise funds for the development of the think tank, and the other is to integrate the thinking of corporate strategy and management and methods are applied in the operation process of think tanks. The former provides "blood" for the growth of think tanks, while the latter provides organizational management concepts and methods for the development of think tanks. Both aspects are critical success factors necessary for think tank development.
Among China’s current social think tanks, there are very few think tanks founded by entrepreneurs or executives of large companies. Chinese private entrepreneurs have begun to fulfill their social responsibilities. Many private entrepreneurs (such as Chen Fashu of Xinhuadu Group and Cao Dewang of Fuyao Group) have established foundations to carry out charity relief work. However, there has yet to be any situation where private entrepreneurs set up foundations specifically to donate to social think tanks. There are two main reasons for this: First, China's social think tanks have been developed for a short period of time and do not have much social influence, so they have not attracted the attention of Chinese private entrepreneurs; second, a few private entrepreneurs pay attention to and understand social think tanks, but think that funding the society Think tanks are all about participating in political activities.
The future development of China’s social think tanks requires the support of private entrepreneurs. Social think tanks themselves should work harder to continuously improve their social influence, demonstrate their functions and roles to the business community, and attract the attention and understanding of private entrepreneurs. On the one hand, the government should introduce and explain the functions and values ??of social think tanks to the business community, and on the other hand, it should formulate preferential tax policies to encourage private enterprises to donate to social think tanks.
Nature of the institution: From an ideological academic research institution to a world-renowned comprehensive think tank
When the Aspen Institute was first established, it was named the Aspen Institute, and its research field was humanism. It includes several basic topics, such as human freedom and equality, truth, goodness and beauty, as well as humanistic factors in architecture, music, law, religion, etc. After taking office in 1969, Joseph Slatto formulated a five-year plan, an important part of which was to shift from a single academic study of humanistic ideas to diversified policy research, transforming the Aspen Institute into Diverse policy research and communication organization.
The Aspen Society also establishes various scholarships and programs, including the African Leadership Program, Pahara-Aspen Educational Scholarship, UK Scholarship Program, Central American Leadership Program, China Scholarship Program, Henry Crown Scholarship Program, Indian Leadership Initiative, and Freedom Scholarship Program , Middle East Leadership Initiative, Nigeria Leadership Program—Advanced Partnership Program, etc.
China’s few think tanks are trying to establish elite networks. This type of network has the following characteristics: first, reputation is more important than substantive; second, it is mainly composed of retired senior Chinese officials and rarely includes business elites; The third is that it is dominated by domestic elites and rarely establishes a global elite network.
Chinese think tanks currently rarely set up various awards, or they do set up awards but they have little influence.
In the author’s opinion, these two communication strategies should be highly valued by Chinese think tanks. Think tanks with the conditions and capabilities should try to establish a global elite network, pool the wisdom of global elites, and provide a source of resources for the development of think tanks. Continuous intellectual resources. You can also cooperate with influential media to set up highly targeted and narrow-scope awards, and guide the agenda and direction of public opinion by rewarding social elites.
Internationalization path: mainly establishing branches in foreign countries
In 1974, 23 years after the establishment of the Aspen Institute, the Aspen Institute established its first branch in Berlin, Germany. home branch. To date, the Aspen Society has established eight branches outside the United States: France (1983), Italy (1984), Japan (1998), India (2004), Romania (2006), Spain (2010) 2012) and the Czech Republic (2012). This is leading among global think tanks.
In the era of globalization, internationalization is a strategic necessity for the development of think tanks, especially think tanks engaged in research on international and global issues. Drawing on the experience of corporate internationalization, think tank internationalization usually follows the following path: disseminating think tank ideological products to foreign countries - co-hosting theme events with foreign think tanks - cooperating with foreign think tanks to carry out project research, and finally establishing think tanks in foreign countries branches.
The Aspen Society established its first foreign branch 23 years after its founding, and it was established in the founder’s first home country. Although the case data does not indicate that the Aspen Institute had carried out exchanges and cooperation in Germany during this period, it is estimated that such cooperation existed.
Chinese think tanks should put internationalization on their strategic agenda, especially those engaged in research on international and global issues. Chinese think tanks are latecomers in the world, and the basic logic for latecomers to catch up is learning, cooperation and innovation. Start by learning, learn from the successful experiences of pioneers, and leverage the advantages of latecomers; by cooperating with foreign think tanks, we can jointly set agendas, carry out exchanges and research, and jointly publish research results; on the basis of learning and cooperation, Chinese think tanks must innovate in strategy, organization and management before latecomers can catch up.