Case Study – Building State Capability

Case: Using PDIA to Transform Waste Management in Amman

Publication date April 7, 2025

Containers from a height with different types of metal, Sorting for remelting metal products

In early 2022, the Greater Amman Municipality (GAM) faced a growing waste crisis. Given its population of 4.5 million people generating approximately 3,000 tons of solid municipal waste daily, half of Jordan’s total, the city’s rapid growth had significantly outpaced its waste management infrastructure. In response to this challenge, a remarkable two-year transformation using Problem-Driven…Continue Reading Case: Using PDIA to Transform Waste Management in Amman

Case: Finding Entry Points for a Recycling Problem

Publication date November 4, 2024

In the city of Blueville, after understanding their recycling problem through the Problem-Driven Iterative Adaptation (PDIA) process, the team faced a new challenge: the mayor requested a six-month action plan focused on quick and effective problem-solving. While the timeline seemed daunting given the complexity of the recycling issue, their coach encouraged an adaptive strategy emphasizing…Continue Reading Case: Finding Entry Points for a Recycling Problem

Case: Tackling a Frustrating Recycling Problem

Publication date October 28, 2024

In the city of Blueville, a newly elected mayor entered office with ambitious promises. Central to her platform was a strong environmental message, with a particular focus on promoting recycling and reducing the quantity of plastic waste littering the city streets. The challenge was clear: Blueville had no existing recycling program, and the path to…Continue Reading Case: Tackling a Frustrating Recycling Problem