When truth is power : institutional ethnography of a think tank

Abstract

This study offers an institutional ethnography of a tourism think tank in a large origin/destination economy. The roles of China Tourism Academy as advisors, academics, advocates, and brokers are discussed in the context of theory and practice, where government think tank researchers are found to be speaking truth both to and for power as they develop an ambition or sense of loftiness of serving and contributing to the state through doing research and mobilizing knowledge (zhishi baoguo). Although the inquirers' positions or perspectives should be acknowledged, this ethnography contributes to future research into think tanks or other knowledge agencies in different origin/destination societies.