Identifying the Factors Influencing the Role Playing of Think Tanks in Policymaking With Meta-Synthesis Approach

Abstract
In recent years, the increasing complexity of public issues and the growing need for evidence-based analysis have driven think tanks to engage more actively in policymaking. However, these efforts have not led to uniform outcomes, with some think tanks becoming influential players in policymaking, while others remain on the periphery. This indicates the existence of factors that affect the quality of think tanks' role playing in policymaking. The present study, aimed at identifying these factors, utilized a meta-synthesis approach. The research population consisted of all studies published in selected international and domestic databases from 1995 to 2025. After screening, 27 studies were selected and analyzed. The data analysis was conducted using qualitative content analysis and coding through ATLAS.ti software. Based on the findings, twelve factors, organized into 34 subcategories and 86 conceptual codes, were identified as influencing the role playing of think tanks in policymaking. To bring coherence to the findings and to conceptualize the results, a conceptual framework was developed. Unlike previous studies, this framework provides a comprehensive view of the factors affecting think tanks' role playing in policymaking and serves as a foundation for developing theoretical discussions and planning to enhance the policymaking impact of these institutions. In Iran, given the limited policy influence of many think tanks, the practical application of this model could clarify the path for reforms and strengthen their impact capacity.
Introduction
Contemporary systems of governance operate in environments marked by rapid change, cross-sectoral interdependence and multi-level complexity. Under such conditions, effective policymaking increasingly depends on access to specialised knowledge, robust evidence and integrative, cross-disciplinary analysis Think tanks have been created and expanded in many countries to bridge the persistent gap between academic research and policy practice, by playing diverse roles in the policymaking process, such as translating complex analyses into usable policy advice and helping shift decision-making from intuition and short-term political pressures toward more evidence-informed processes.Yet, empirical studies show that not all think tanks succeed equally in playing a meaningful role in policymaking. While some become trusted advisors and agenda-setters, others struggle to gain recognition or access. This variation suggests that their policy role is not determined solely by organisational will or activity, but is shaped by a complex constellation of factors. Despite a rich and dispersed literature on think tanks, there is still no integrated and evidence-based framework that systematically maps these factors. This study addresses this gap by posing the following central question: What factors influence the role playing of think tanks in policymaking?
Case study
The statistical population of this study comprised all relevant articles published in international databases (Google Scholar, ProQuest, Scopus, ScienceDirect, Springer) and domestic databases (Civilica, Magiran, Noormags, SID) during the period 1995–2025. This temporal window was chosen because debates on the policy roles of think tanks expanded significantly from the mid-1990s onward.
Materials and Methods
This study is applied in purpose and qualitative with an exploratory orientation, using an inductive meta-synthesis design based on the seven-step framework of Sandelowski and Barroso (2007). A systematic search with predefined keywords was conducted in international and domestic databases, after which inclusion and quality criteria were applied. In total, 27 relevant studies were selected, and their methodological quality was assessed using the CASP tool. Data were analysed through qualitative content analysis and coding in the ATLAS.ti software, and Cohen’s Kappa coefficient was used to ensure reliability and validity.
Discussion and Results
Based on the analyses conducted on the 27 selected studies, the meta-synthesis identified 86 conceptual codes, grouped into 34 subcategories and consolidated into 12 final factors that collectively influence the role playing of think tanks in policymaking. These twelve factors include human resources, structural capacity, policy action capability, independence, cultural context, institutional context, political context, legitimacy, communication capacity, credibility of outputs, external pressures, and media capacity. Each factor directly affects the effectiveness of think tanks’ role playing in policymaking. Overall, the conceptual framework developed in this study suggests that the differences in the effectiveness of think tanks’ role playing in policymaking are best understood as the outcome of specific configurations and interactions among these twelve factors. This integrated perspective moves beyond previous fragmented accounts and provides a comprehensive explanation of the factors that affect the role playing of think tanks in the policymaking process.
Conclusion
This study contributes to the existing body of knowledge by synthesising dispersed empirical and conceptual evidence on the role playing of think tanks in policymaking and integrating it into a coherent, evidence-based framework. The findings demonstrate that the effectiveness of think tanks’ role playing in policymaking is shaped not by a single determinant, but by the specific configuration and interaction of the twelve factors identified through the meta-synthesis. By clarifying these determinants, the framework provides a more systematic understanding of why some think tanks achieve meaningful  policy impact while others remain marginal.
Beyond its theoretical contribution, the framework offers practical insights for both policymakers and think tanks. For policymakers, it provides a clearer understanding of the factors that influence the policy role playing of think tanks, helping them identify what kinds of institutional arrangements and support mechanisms are required to make more informed use of the analytical capacities of think tanks. For think tanks, identifying these factors has strategic importance, as it allows them to reassess their internal processes, strengthen relevant capacities and adopt more effective approaches to enhance their policy engagement. In this way, the framework clarifies how different actors can use the identified factors to improve the quality and effectiveness of think tanks’ participation in the policymaking process.
Although the synthesis is limited by its reliance on published studies and requires future empirical validation in diverse contexts, it lays a solid foundation for subsequent analytical and comparative research on the policy influence of think tanks.