Research & Flourish
Independent research and advisory on economic and global dynamics.
Structured analysis and considered advice for complex real-world problems.
What I do
My work focuses on three interconnected areas.
Economic Policy Analysis
Analysis of economic policy questions at the country level, combining data and macroeconomic context. Explaining why similar policies and conditions lead to different outcomes across countries.
International Dynamics
Understanding how international economic and geopolitical developments—across trade, finance, energy markets, and strategic competition—translate into country-level effects.
Engineering & Systems
Analysis of how built and material systems shape economic and policy choices, including infrastructure, energy systems, and resource use. Focus on feasibility, trade-offs, and what is economically achievable in practice.
Portfolio
Selected analytical work
EU Trade dependence and relative leverage by top sectors
A mapping of the five largest import sectors
Diversification and structural resilience in Dutch exports
A comparison of geographic vs product diversification and implications for trade resilience.
Debt dynamics in Caribbean resource economies
A panel analysis of how revenue fluctuations relate to debt dynamics in resource and non-resource Caribbean states.
Export concentration and COVID-19 economic shock in Europe
A cross-country comparison of export concentration and 2020 growth shocks.
How I Work
Problem Framing
I start by clarifying the decision context before turning to analysis. This means identifying what is being decided, what constraints are binding, and which factors actually drive outcomes.
Complex problems are then decomposed into their core components, so analysis can focus on what actually matters without losing sight of the broader system.
Analysis & Evidence
Analysis combines data, economic reasoning, and relevant qualitative information. Quantitative methods are used where they add clarity, not false precision.
Assumptions are made explicit, evidence is weighed against context, and conclusions remain grounded in what the analysis can reasonably support.
Judgment & Advice
Analysis is translated into advice by weighing trade-offs and assessing what is realistically possible.
The emphasis is on clear implications for decisions, not forecasts or abstractions.
Projects
Sovereign Wealth Fund Design for Suriname
Fiscal rules, stabilization mechanisms, and annuity design
Independent analytical work examining the design of a sovereign wealth fund framework for Suriname, with a focus on fiscal rules, stabilization mechanisms, and long-term annuity structures.
The project examines how resource revenues could be managed across time under realistic fiscal constraints, macroeconomic volatility, and institutional conditions, with the aim of clarifying feasible design choices rather than proposing a single optimal model.
This work is ongoing and continues to be developed.
About
Michael James is an independent researcher and advisor working on economic policy analysis, international dynamics, and engineering-informed systems research.
Trained as a civil engineer, he combines economic reasoning and data analysis with an understanding of how real-world systems shape what is feasible in practice. His work focuses on country-level questions where policy choices are constrained by fiscal realities, institutional conditions, and physical systems.
Current research includes analytical work on sovereign wealth fund design for Suriname, examining fiscal rules, stabilization mechanisms, and long-term annuity structures.
His approach emphasizes clarity, feasibility, and judgment over abstraction or prescription.
Contact
If you’d like to discuss a research question, collaboration, or potential engagement, you can reach me via the form below.
Messages are reviewed personally.