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Citizen centric powering through bureaucracy

Harry Kruiter, Robert Duiveman & Mees van Tooren have published Breaking through bureaucracy. Action research as puzzling, powering and problem-solving It is part of our special issue on social transformations.

Listen to an interview about this paper with Harry Kruiter as part of the AR+ Yes/And podcast series.

Or read how Robert, on behalf of co-authors, explains how his team has managed to succeed where so many fail. He writes …

“Why do citizen-driven solutions so often stall in government systems? That question drove the Dutch Instituut voor Publieke Waarden (IPW) to spend over fifteen years navigating the defensive machinery of bureaucracy. Their answer: action research, strategically applied, can turn institutional resistance into opportunity. Through hands-on work with thousands of vulnerable households, IPW developed the “Breakthrough Method”—a practical framework to cut through rigid legal, financial, and procedural barriers.

In one early case, a father was denied access to debt relief because he needed a car to care for his daughters. Bureaucracy said “no,” but IPW combined legal insight, cost-benefit analysis, and citizen voice to achieve a commonsense solution—saving both money and lives. What began as support for individuals has now expanded to tackle collective challenges. Today, through IPW-Climatework the Breakthrough Method is helping realize local initiatives that advance the energy transition. For example, when a homeowners’ association sought to make their building more energy-efficient, they faced two years of bureaucratic deadlock. With IPW’s support, they finally broke through and launched renovations.

These are some of many cases showing how bureaucratic inertia can stall progress—unless confronted with a smarter, citizen-centered approach. By combining “puzzling” (problem analysis) with “powering” (strategic engagement), IPW’s method manages to turn resistance into collaboration. It’s not just about solving individual cases—it’s about enabling government and local communities to innovate together and realise a sustainable future.

The details are in the article linked below. The photo is by Engin Akyurt.

Forever link

Kruiter, H., Duiveman, R. M., & Van Tooren, M. (2025). Breaking through bureaucracy. Action research as puzzling, powering and problem-solving. Action Research, https://doi.org/10.1177/14767503251347421