Press Think Tanks in the Econ. In recent years, think tanks have become an increasingly visible mechanism for presenting informed knowledge and policy expertise in a timely and useful manner. Both within Washington's Beltway and across the country, the total number of think tanks has grown considerably. First, think tanks are exerting more and more influence on policy-makers, academic circles, and the media.
Influence is an ambiguous term and the source of much confusion.
For my purposes in this report, I will simply underline the notion that think tanks represent a bridge between research and the policy-making process. Think tank scholars are economists, political scientists, and sociologists whose careers have, for some, led them through the corridors of government to the halls of research. A second implication of the proliferation of think tanks is the increased specialization of their research areas. Smaller but more specialized institutes are intensifying the competition for ideas affecting policy-making. The short answer is that they get people to listen.