In Brief: Merrill Devises Public Policy Think Tank

Merrill Lynch & Co. has launched what it is calling a "virtual" think tank, designed to match up academics, public policymakers, and economists with its bankers.

Merrill Lynch Forum, the first program of its kind by an investment bank, will sponsor public policy conferences for its executives, clients, policymakers, and journalists to discuss technology, geopolitics, international relations, and long-term economic and demographic trends.

The program differs from a traditional think tank in that it relies on experts from outside the firm, rather than a full-time staff.

Merrill launched the forum with the presentation of a paper, titled "The Relationship Revolution," by Massachusetts Institute of Technology researcher Michael Schrage.

It examines how digital technologies have permanently changed the nature of financial markets and, more broadly, popular culture.

In conjunction with the program, Merrill commissioned a survey by Luntz Research Companies, Washington, which contacted professionals affected by the computer industry on how they are using the information superhighway.

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