High-speed rail. Joined-up IT networks. Nuclear power stations. Affordable housing... Why can't we get any of it done? These big, much-vaunted projects run years late and billions over budget. Public spending skyrockets while delivering diminishing returns. The rules designed to solve problems often create new ones. Look closely at any large organisation, and you'll see why: creating problems is somebody's job. With razor-sharp insight and wry humour, Dan Davies exposes the causes of organisational failure, from pay-by-the-hour consultants and stakeholders incentivised to balloon costs to deregulation and the false promise of AI. Essential reading for every strategic thinker, The Problem Factory shows why the system is broken and lays out a roadmap for a better way forward.