I often write that we have to stop funding foreign researchers to helicopter over developing countries to undertake what can only, at its best, be mediocre (and irrelevant to domestic dynamics) research. This approach does not contribute to the development of sustainable and robust domestic think tank communities and even undermines them.<\/p>\n
But attempting to engineer domestic knowledge sectors or think tank communities is easier said than done. Research funders and their consultants unfortunately do not have the experience necessary to set up new or to develop existing think tanks (we are talking think tanks of a certain scale, here), let alone entire sectors. In my own work with think tanks I usually ‘take my hat off’ at the inventive and capacity of think tank directors who are usually working wonders with the little resources (financial and human) that they can count on. I cringe at the idea of telling them that ‘I know what works’. Ten years of studying think tanks, knowledge sectors and related issues has only made me more cautious of big promises.<\/p>\n
Most of the time, too, this kind of investment is done without a clear demand from the local economic, social and political elites; which are fundamental for the development of a think tank community. This is a global rule. So in the end, international funders and, often international consultants are engaged in an effort to develop a sector that few think is necessary or important. In a way, one could argue that maybe funders should first focus on developing the demand for think tanks among the local elites and then, alongside them, refocus their efforts to supporting think tanks.<\/p>\n
Who has this experience and who could make the elites of most developing countries pay attention and encourage them to get involved? Well,\u00a0Brookings<\/a>\u00a0and the\u00a0Carnegie Endowment<\/a>, with offices all over the world, could pull it off.\u00a0This is the idea behind the recent opening of a Brookings centre in India<\/a>.<\/p>\n This approach is common in every other sector. If someone needs to start a new service or business in a country where said service is not available or where the current supply is simply not good enough then the best approach is to buy a franchise or attract a foreign provider as an investment partner. Countries that want to develop their infrastructure, telecommunications, and other sectors beyond their current capacities work hard to attract foreign investors with the relevant know-how. Soon, and greatly driven by these new players, domestic experts appear in the scene and develop the sector further.<\/p>\n And the services and goods developed and sold are never exactly the same. Context matters and businesses know this. Walk into a Starbucks in Lima and you will be able to buy cakes you won’t find in Jakarta; when two new Peruvian food restaurants opened in London last year they adapted the menu to British tastes. So it is perfectly possible that this could work in the world of think tanks.<\/p>\n