INVITED ARTICLE

Research on the Enhancement Paths of Brand-Driven Think Tanks' Influence: Fuzzy-Set Qualitative Comparative Analysis Based on 60 Cases

  • Shen Jing ,
  • Wang Chenlin ,
  • Chen Xiaolong
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  • 1 Department of Information Management, Peking University, Beijing 100871;
    2 Graduate School of Peking University, Beijing 100871
Shen Jing, Professor, PhD, Doctoral Supervisor; Wang Chenlin, Doctoral Candidate, Corresponding Author, E-mail:wangcl@stu. pku.edu.cn; Chen Xiaolong, Research Assistant, Doctoral Candidate.

Received date: 2025-04-08

  Revised date: 2025-06-09

  Online published: 2026-06-23

Supported by

This work is supported by the key project of National Social Science Fund of China, titled “Research on the Development Mechanism of Knowledge Services of New-type Think Tanks with Chinese Characteristics Based on Innovation Drive” (Grant No. 18ATQ004).

Abstract

[Purpose/Significance] To explore the complex causal relationship between think tank brands and their influence is of great significance for the brand construction, international discourse power establishment, and influence enhancement of Chinese think tanks. [Method/Process] Based on the brand identity system, this study built the brand elements of think tanks. Analytic hierarchy process(AHP) and the expert scoring method were used to determine the weights of think tank brand elements. The data obtained from the think tanks' official websites, thematic databases, and other channels were normalized, weighted, and aggregated into the conditional variables of brand-driven think tank influence enhancement. Fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis(fsQCA) was used to explore the complex causal relationships among these conditional variables and the influence enhancement of think tanks. [Result/Conclusion] It is found that the conditional variables of brand-driven think tank influence enhancement are think tank symbol, think tank service, think tank organization, and think tank culture. The enhancement paths of think tanks' influence are diversified. There are two paths of foreign well-known think tanks: one jointly driven by think tank symbol and think tank culture, and another jointly driven by think tank service and think tank organization. There are three paths in well-known domestic think tanks: one driven by think tank symbol, one jointly driven by think tank symbol, think tank organization and think tank culture, and one driven by think tank culture. These five paths provide a reference for Chinese think tanks to build brands, strengthen global discourse power, and expand international influence.

Cite this article

Shen Jing , Wang Chenlin , Chen Xiaolong . Research on the Enhancement Paths of Brand-Driven Think Tanks' Influence: Fuzzy-Set Qualitative Comparative Analysis Based on 60 Cases[J]. Library and Information Service, 2026 , 70(13) : 3 -15 . DOI: 10.13266/j.issn.0252-3116.2026.13.001

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