516 Revista del Instituto Español de Estudios Estratégicos Núm. 2 / 2013 develop technologies for aerospace systems, information technology systems, artificial intelligence systems, as well as military systems. Further examples of Rand’s contributions are: the internet; the electronic recording system; an analysis of the problems the US Army was facing when hiring personnel; an evaluation of US interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan; an analysis of the effectiveness of alternative schools; stocktaking of the strategies in the War on Drugs; identification of the fundaments for the creation of a Palestinian State; report on the financial impact of public transport delays on companies. The Government and different state departments are the organisation’s main clients and make up two thirds of all contracts signed by this think tank. The Pentagon, the Department of Homeland Security, the State Secretaries of Health, of Justice and of Energy are its main partners and clients. This massive economic and institutional support allows it to have offices in London, Brussels and Doha, with 1500 members of staff, half of whom are civilian or military researchers with permanent contracts. Spain The think tank phenomenon in Spain is still in its beginning stages compared to the United States, and is lagging far behind certain European neighbours (France, Germany or England). According to a study by James McGann, the Global Go to Think Tank,24 Spain, with 55 think tanks, is rated number 18 in world rankings. Battered by the economic crisis and submerged in austerity policies and cut-backs, there has been a clear stagnation as regards the creation of think tanks since 2011. The analysis of this phenomenon translates into a high level of financial dependency on public subsidies from the side of Spanish think tanks, despite the fact that 60% of think tanks claim to be non-profit and independent foundations.25 Spanish think tanks have developed well since the end of the 20th century due to favourable environmental conditions: democracy, a structured state, fragmentation of administrative power among the au-tonomous regions, and EU integration. Other elements, however, acted as a brake. An omnipresent public administration, a certain level of mistrust as regards what think tanks do, a recently-emerging organised and autonomous civil society, a non-existent corporate and individual philanthropic culture, and a lack of strategic vision for geopolitical relations from the side of political and economic leaders. On top of this was the absence of understanding of the 24 MCGANN, James, Global Go to Think Tank, 2012: http://repository.upenn.edu/cgi/viewcon-tent. cgi?article=1006&context=think_tanks 25 PONSA, Francesc, Los embriones de think tanks en España, L’Observatoire des think tanks, 29/07/2012, http://www.oftt.eu/thematiques/europe/article/los-embriones-de-los-think-tanks-en-espana
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