Have you ever heard of think tanks ? Think tanks , or idea reservoirs, are organizations responsible for generating research and analysis on public policies, social and economic issues.
These institutions have been gaining ground in recent years, both in Brazil and in several other countries. They play an important role in the dialogue between public and private agents . Through the dissemination of knowledge, they help shape the public agenda and influence government policies.
This is why think tanks are considered a valuable tool for those working in institutional and government relations (IGR). By publishing surveys that are relevant to society, professionals use data in their strategies to engage public opinion.
Furthermore, think tanks also operate as an important tool in usa mobile database the role of simplifying information generated by government institutions. They make language more accessible and contribute to more transparent and democratic processes.
According to data from the University of Pennsylvania, there are currently around eleven thousand think tanks around the world. These organizations can be classified as autonomous or they can be linked to the government, universities, foundations, political parties or private sector companies.
How did think tanks come about ?
The concept of think tanks was born in the last century . Originating in the United States and Europe, the term was first used during the Second World War. At the time, think tanks referred to safe places where leaders met to develop military plans with greater peace of mind.
After the end of the war, the concept became popular and began to be used to characterize study and research institutions, especially in the United States, where the search for solutions to complex problems was already part of the teaching culture.
Because this was a period in which institutions depended on private funding, the trend took a while to reach other countries. Canada and Australia, for example, only recorded the activity of think tanks at the end of the 20th century.
However, the number of think tanks in Latin America is growing every year. In Brazil, there are already more than one hundred think tanks between universities, governments and foundations. The first think tank in the country, the Getúlio Vargas Foundation, was founded in 1944, and in the following years three other important think tanks were created.
From 1954 onwards, the Brazilian Institute of International Relations (IBRI), the Inter-Union Department of Statistics and Socioeconomic Studies (DIEESE), and the Higher Institute of Brazilian Studies (ISEB) were created.