While it is widely believed that relevant research is needed for educational policy and practice, an important issue is whether policy-makers and implementers are really receptive to such research. This study sets out a conceptual framework relating to the issue in low-income countries, encompassing the cast of characters involved, contemporary influences on role expectations and the potential for exchanges of benefits between actors. In a comparative discussion of four policy-related research projects in African settings, the general difficulty of communicating findings to senior policy-makers is noted, but some factors are identified that may affect the prospects for research to influence various stakeholders. It is argued that, in such settings, formal expectations for research to have a direct impact on policy should be modified, although there is a potential for beneficial influence.