The importance of being an institution

I have been writing this column for over three years. My year-end columns in the past have considered reforming cooking fuel subsidies, developing within a shrinking carbon space, a national clean air mission, making pollution control boards more effective, and expanding distributed power generation, for households and agricultural activities. Today, I turn the mirror inwards and ask: What is the role of a public policy research institution?

In a democracy the legislature, the executive and the judiciary are guided by the Constitution, and keep a check on one another. A free press informs the public and holds the state accountable. The state engages, via diplomatic channels, with other governments and with international organisations. There are interlocutors in the economy – spokespersons of the public, private and informal sectors – who represent their interests to the state. Finally, there is wider civil society, which demands changes/reforms in or implementation of law, and also bears the consequences of policy shifts.

In this milieu, policy research institutions are often misunderstood to be lobbyists for particular interest groups, or are considered to be beholden to ideological positions. They are conflated with consultancy or legal firms, which do indeed serve their clients’ interests. 

A policy research institution undertakes research to advise on policy matters in the public interest. Simple. It is needed precisely because independent analysis is often missing when various interested parties present partial cases on matters of public importance. Specialised institutions are, therefore, needed in modern societies to make sense of complex problems.

Such institutions could focus on policies at the national, subnational or international level, or all of the above. They could define their scope narrowly (a single issue, say juvenile justice) or broadly (all economic matters). But they must adhere to the basic steps of research: Identify a puzzle or a problem, propose hypotheses, collect and verify information, analyse and review results, and articulate them honestly (via papers, reports, briefs, fact sheets, press releases, opinion pieces, interviews, depositions, etc).

But there is an impossible trinity of think tanks. Even the best resourced and most credible of institutions struggle to simultaneously meet three valued objectives: To conduct high-quality research; to deliver timely inputs to policymakers; and to maintain independence and be free of pressure. How could we create bulwarks against such pitfalls?

Anticipate questions, not just react. Public policy is a deliberative process. But it also needs to be responsive to crises, or rapid changes in political decisions. Policymakers rarely have the time to investigate in depth all the nuances and consequences of a policy decision. Policy research institutions would serve the process better if they anticipated the questions, analysed trends, and warned in advance of challenges over the horizon.

Make data credible, not just collect them. The word “credit” comes from the Latin credo, which means trust. Think tanks cannot expect credit for their work if the underlying evidence does not inspire trust. Policymakers are presented with many different “facts” about the same issue. It is incumbent on institutions to be transparent about methods adopted, data collected and gaps therein, and make them open to public scrutiny. Policymakers and the media must also develop the antennae to detect data of varying quality. But their task becomes easier when an institution develops the reputation of being consistently transparent. 

Build independence, not just claim it. Institutions have different approaches to building independence and retaining editorial independence. Some do not receive funding from the private sector; others avoid government grants. Regardless, the most important metric of independence is whether an institution is able to speak truth to power. Building diverse research themes, adopting different methods, collecting and triangulating different sources of data, and presenting the evidence via multiple channels help an institution grow in stature and confidence.

Invest in careers, not just jobs. Policy research requires highly qualified staff. When institutions shift research/policy agendas from one grant to another, there is little job security. Even a threat that donors might withdraw support results in staff attrition or institutions risk bending to the will of donors. With this pathology many institutions would struggle to attract prized policy analysts. Institutions must aim to hire staff based on merits and potential, not just for the funded project of the day. The broader question for an emerging economy and power like India is this: Given the complexities that have to be analysed, for how many smart and motivated women and men are we creating conditions for long-term careers in public policy?

Cherish institutions, not just individuals. No institution can rely on the brains, networks and reputation of a single individual. Celebrating individual achievement is different from deferring to one person’s status. Institutions that seek to make any one indispensable will seldom be resilient to crises or craft new avenues of growth. 

In The Importance of Being Earnest, Algy says, “The truth is rarely pure and never simple. Modern life would be very tedious if it were either, and modern literature a complete impossibility!” 

Modern life, society and politics are indeed complex. We confront not simple, unidimensional problems, but complex and wicked ones. It has become harder to discern facts from half-truths or disinformation. Policy “literature” often uses semi-private jargon, draping public discourse into folds of confusion. Trust in institutions of state and in intermediaries (public and private) comes increasingly at a premium. In this situation, the importance of institutions — for public policy research and advisory — is not to claim a monopoly over truth. Their importance lies in rebuilding trust.
 

The writer is CEO, Council on Energy, Environment 

and Water (http://ceew.in). 

Twitter: @GhoshArunabha; @CEEWIndia