RAND Corporation

RAND Corporation

From the RAND Corporation web site:[1]

"Our job is to help improve policy and decisionmaking through research and analysis. We do that in many ways. Sometimes, we develop new knowledge to inform decisionmakers without suggesting any specific course of action. Often, we go further by spelling out the range of available options and by analyzing their relative advantages and disadvantages. On many other occasions, we find the analysis so compelling that we advance specific policy recommendations. In all cases, we serve the public interest by widely disseminating our research findings.

"RAND (a contraction of the term research and development) is the first organization to be called a "think tank." We earned this distinction soon after we were created in 1946 by our original client, the U.S. Air Force (then the Army Air Forces). Some of our early work involved aircraft, rockets, and satellites. In the 1960s we even helped develop the technology you're using to view this web site.

"Today, RAND's work is exceptionally diverse. We now assist all branches of the U.S. military community, and we apply our expertise to social and international issues as well. For example:

"We partnered with health experts throughout the United States to identify specific health care improvements to help millions of children with asthma.

"RAND collaborated with other research groups to study how anti-drug laws help prevent illicit drug use by teenagers.

"The Department of Labor asked RAND to examine how economic conditions affect the availability of health insurance for workers.

"We're now working with the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy to better understand how technology can reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

"In all of our work, we strive for the highest levels of quality, objectivity, and innovation -- hallmarks that have earned us a prominent reputation throughout the world. Our commitment to these standards will continue to define our work into the future."