Solving Urban Problems: Research on Local Government Capacity

Introduction

This first edition of Solving Urban Problems brings together all action insights based on peer reviewed research published up to fall 2025 in one place. It is a reference for city leaders, practitioners, and scholars alike—an accessible entry point into a growing body of research on strategic leadership and management, cross-boundary collaboration, using data and evidence, and innovation in city government.

These “action insights” are organized into four sections:

1. Leading and Managing Strategically
2. Using Data and Evidence
3. Collaborating Across Boundaries
4. Innovating and Implementing New Practices

The research presented in Solving Urban Problems employs both qualitative and quantitative methods, drawing on data from interviews, focus groups, direct observation, and surveys, as well as large-scale datasets including cellphone data and administrative records.

Informed by real-world challenges, the research of the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative aims to bridge the gap between academia and city hall. As of fall 2025, 613 mayors and more than 4,100 senior officials from 594 cities in 62 countries have participated in the Initiative’s executive education programs and fieldwork. Their challenges have informed the Initiative’s research agenda, and the research findings have, in turn, informed the curriculum.