Presentation Title: Think Tanks: Measuring What Matters
Theme: International Ethics and Environment and Governance 
Presenter: Mr Andrew Blyth

The proliferation of think tanks both globally and in Australia over the last two decades has swelled the academic literature covering: what is and is not a think tank; what think tanks do and how they conduct themselves; opportunities and constraints of think tanks; lessons learned from think tanks; and comparative perspectives. An area still lacking in scholarly attention is measuring the impact and influence that think tanks may wield in the policy-making process. Relying on anecdotal evidence is insufficient to determine their utility or effectiveness. Newspaper clippings may tell a reader partly what they need to know about think tanks; they do not disclose any objective evaluations of their contributions or how much influence they have exercised on policymakers. While it has been argued by some scholars that measuring think tank impact and influence more broadly is a difficult task and one often overlooked by scholars, evaluating the nature and extent of impact and influence wielded by think tanks is in the public interest and ought to be of interest to those responsible for their resourcing, operation and oversight. I will examine the relevance of the metrics currently used by think tanks and assess their suitability as a means of determining effectiveness. 

Andrew Blyth is a senior member of staff at UNSW Canberra. More recently, Andrew was the former CEO of the ACT & Region Chamber of Commerce and Industry and a former chief of staff in the Howard Government. He holds an undergraduate degree in government and postgraduate qualifications in business and international relations. In 2012 he was awarded a Fulbright Professional Scholarship in Australia-US Alliance Studies. Andrew is currently researching the role and effectiveness of think tanks in the development of public policy through a professional doctorate at UNSW Canberra.