The INA is a privately funded, non-profit policy research institute, or "think tank" About 80 companies contributed to its core running and management costs, with some project support from public institutions and foundations.

The INA was founded in 1976 by concerned individuals from both the government and private sector to promote dialogue between the private sector and government and to offer alternative advice to the public service on economic and social policy. It continues that tradition today, extending the dialogue also to wider civil society.

The INA's primary role is to carry out research and disseminate the results as widely as possible to the community, government departments, statutory institutions, learning institutions and politicians. Research is carried out by world-class academics, from some of the world's leading universities, and has a conscious policy of including PNG academics in its research, where that is possible. The research is generally sponsored by PNG and international bodies. The research is published and made available to the public.