How we work
The Open Political Economy Analysis (Open PEA) Programme translates political economy research and analysis into plain language products for mainstream audiences.
Our products explain how power, incentives, and interests are configured within societies, and how these factors drive, or constrain, the performance of particular sectors. Our analysis is aimed at addressing the enduring obstacles towards the growth and development of these countries.
We follow our structured diagnoses with practical propositions for change, that are both technically desirable and politically feasible. Our analyses are written in jargon-free language and made available to all – not just to those that fund PEA consultants.
We generate insights through applied political economy analysis (PEA), which we understand as the study of the “underlying reality of policy, contestation, and decisions” that shapes the process of change (Whaites et al., 2023). Ours is a problem-driven approach to PEA. It begins with identifying locally-salient, enduring problems, before examining how these problems have been shaped and sustained by the interaction of national, local, and global actors; their interests, identities, incentives, and ideas; as well as the formal and informal rules of the game that govern their behaviour. This analytical narrative is used to explain why problems persist and to illuminate the politically viable pathways that reform-minded actors can use to overcome these challenges.
Academic foundations
Our analysis is informed by a range of political economy tools and frameworks underpinned by academic research and practical guidance – much of which has been co-developed and used by international donor agencies. These include, but are not limited to, problem-driven iterative adaptation (Andrews, Pritchett & Woolcock, 2017), political settlements analysis (Di John & Putzel 2009; Khan 2010; Levy, 2014; Kelsall et al., 2022), power-centric political analyses (Hudson & Leftwich, 2014; Hickey & Hossain, 2019); and the concept of development bargains (Dercon, 2022).
We draw on these academic foundations and various practical guidance notes, such as the PEA manuals produced by the UK’s DFID/FCDO (e.g. 2017, 2023, 2025), the US’ USAID (2018), and Australia’s DFAT (2022), to create a simple five-part framework. We have tested this with a range of mainstream user audiences, and refined the structure based on their feedback.
The result is products that demystify complex political realities in a form suitable for mainstream sector audiences. We don’t seek to turn sector experts into political economy analysts. Instead, we aim to present political analysis in language, formats and tools that make sector experts even more effective.
Our products
Open PEA produces open access, plain-language, quality-assured products that explain how politics shapes complex policy outcomes. We cover diverse topics such as health financing, education quality, public procurement and energy subsidies, and use a standardised format across all topics. Each product is 8-12 pages long and is organised around five simple sections:
1. The problem
We begin by briefly setting out the real-world problem and introducing the case for why it persists and why we should care. This section summarises the technical efforts and financial investments that have been used to tackle the problem, and how effective these have been.
2. The players
Next, we map the key actors and elites influencing policymaking and implementation, analysing their roles, interests, ideas, and incentives. This typically includes both government and non-government actors, and actors at the national, local, and global levels. We also consider stakeholders that have been left out and lose out.
3. The rules of the game
We then analyse how actors use, bend, or bypass formal governance rules to protect or advance their interests, drawing attention to the de jure rules on paper and the de facto processes that truly shape policy, practice and outcomes.
4. The state of play
We demonstrate how the formal and informal interactions between the players come together to shape the current state of play, where informal rules often matter as much as formal ones. We situate this analysis within the broader political context, focusing on the ‘elite bargain’ that structures power and shapes governance across key growth and development sectors, and in relation to the particular problem in focus. This helps explain how systems produce policy outcomes that may serve the interests of a select few rather than the general public.
While elite bargains are dynamic and continuously evolve, we concentrate on ‘evergreen’ political economy factors that endure through changes in government and personalities, rather than overly focusing on the latest surface changes. We think that these evergreen factors are typically the reason why knotty problems endure. This also increases the shelf life of our products, and presents analysis that is more likely to engage dominant elites and decision makers, rather than alienate them. We typically talk about types of actors and interest, rather than ‘naming names’. Private PEA has a history of being hard hitting and therefore controversial – we think that Open PEA can still be useful, despite being intentionally less sensitive.
5. Propositions
All products conclude with a set of practical, politically feasible propositions that are designed to promote change under existing country circumstances. Drawing on the analysis of the previous sections, our propositions identify entry points in which diverse actors can meaningfully engage to implement change. These propositions also highlight opportunities for striking a ‘development bargain’ – one which would ensure reforms can be effectively implemented alongside the underlying contestations for power and resources that underpin every society. Our propositions typically examine whether and how progressive change can be made politically and electorally salient (part of a development bargain), and consider when in a political cycle it might be most feasible to instigate change.
Final considerations
We aim to keep the language we use as accessible as possible, and always explain specialist terms when we use them. We aim to speak openly and comfortably about power, and do not shy away from describing the elite bargains underlying status quos. We believe such open discussion is key to shifting the debate, and we will try and persuade, through practice, that it is an important lens for understanding the landscapes in which we work.
Open PEA products use a combination of primary and secondary data sources, where applicable. Products are either produced in-house by the core Open PEA team or externally by subject-matter experts in close collaboration with Open PEA. All products are peer-reviewed by an editorial board comprising internal and external experts.