Local Governance Process Indicators (LGPI)

Read about the LGPI in more detail in our forthcoming chapter:

Lust, E., Landry, P., & Metheney, E. A. (in press). “Local Governance Process Indicators: Toward an Adaptable Tool for Measuring, Assessing and Analysing Governance,” in N. F. da Cruz, L. de Sousa, A. Tavares, & F. Teles (Eds.), The Elgar Companion to Quality of Local Governance: Concepts, Methods and Techniques. Edward Elgar Publishing.

Motivation

Two neighborhoods, sitting side-by-side, may differ dramatically in the extent to which community members participate in decision-making, contribute to public goods, and enjoy adequate services. What explains these differences, and what can be done to facilitate effective local governance and service provision? Answering these questions requires data that is collected at the local level, yields measures that focus on governance processes -- not simply outcomes, and explicitly includes processes within and beyond the state. Combining clear methodological standards with practical tools and adaptable resources, the LGPI helps researchers, governments, development specialists, businesses, civil society organizations, and others produce high-quality, comparable local governance data when and where they need it.

The Conceptual Framework

Defining Governance

The LGPI defines governance as the exercise of power in the management of a society’s resources .

3 Processes

The LGPI assumes there are three governance processes that connect citizens and authorities:

Participation

Extraction

Provision

8 Attributes

Each process is characterized by 8 attributes:

Responsiveness

Representation

Legitimacy

Institutions

Authority

Accountability

Rule of Law

Transparency

Multiple Arenas...wait, what is an Arena?

An "arena", short for "arena of authority", is a concept taken from Ellen Lust's Cambridge Element Everyday Choices: The Role of Competing Authorities and Social Institutions in Politics and Development. Lust defines an arena as "a sphere of activity with clear membership, goals, and institutions". When discussing governance, the state is typically the first arena to come to mind. It is clear who falls within the state (citizenship/residency), it has its own set of goals, and there are institutions that define the roles, rules, and rewards that can be expected as a member of the state. However, the state is not the only sphere of activity where governance takes place. Religious, ethnic, and many other arenas can play significant roles within governance processes.

Extracting Indicators

Every LGPI survey item can be categorized by the governance process, process attribute, and arena to which it relates. By aggregating variables along different dimensions of this model, one can generate different indicators.

Overall Transparency Measure

Participation in the State Arena

Rule of Law Related to Provision in the Ethnic Arena

Structure of the Questionnaire

The 2026 version of the LGPI household survey comprises 8 core modules that map onto the conceptual framework. The questionnaire has 4 key features:

Modular: users select relevant authorities, services, participation types, and institutions

Efficient: loops, entrance questions, and skip patterns show respondents only applicable items.

Respondent-friendly: questions focus on concrete experiences; around one-third are yes/no.

Comparable: adaptation and harmonization preserve common concepts across settings

Together, these design features make the questionnaire flexible, respondent-friendly, and capable of producing harmonized, high-quality data across diverse contexts.

While GLD believes all of these components are necessary for obtaining a comprehensive picture of governance, users with a more specific need could benefit from the implementation of a subset of modules. Thus, the structure helps users meet their needs while being mindful of resource constraints.

DIY LGPI Packet

Are you interested in running your own LGPI?

Let us guide you every step of the way with the DIY LGPI! GLD Data has created a standardized workflow and associated materials to support researchers, policy-makers, and other actors through the design and implementation their own LGPI.

On the Harvard Dataverse you can find: Workflow Diagram, LGPI Questionnaire, Scoping survey, Adaptation guide, and theTranslation guide.

Get Your DIY LGPI Packet Today!

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