This paper introduces a systemic, visual method to analyze circular economy (CE) discourse, bridging macro- and micro-level perspectives on goals, constraints, and solutions within circular ecosystems. While CE is widely recognized as a solution to socio-ecological challenges such as waste increase and resource depletion, narratives about its meaning and pathways vary significantly. Existing research has explored this divergence either at the macro-level—addressing dimensions like future orientation, governance, and societal perspectives—or at the micro-level, focusing on industry- and region-specific discourses. However, the literature lacks a cohesive approach relating macro-level goals and micro-level solutions and constraints. To address this gap, we propose the Systemic Action Alignment Method (SAAM), grounded in pragmatist evolutionary learning and systems thinking. Using qualitative content analysis, we coded 1,266 pages from 67 documents produced by 34 stakeholders in the European Union’s circular packaging discourse (2016–2022). Our findings reveal three distinct stakeholder groups—CE promoters, business associations, and cross-sector partnerships—with divergent goals, solutions, and constraints. Notably, cross-sector partnerships exhibit potential to bridge the "constraints-solutions gap," fostering alignment between macro-level goals and micro-level implementation. The novelty of SAAM lies in combining inductive coding of macro-level goals with deductive coding of micro-level constraints and solutions, visualized on a systems map. This method supports stakeholder collaboration and deliberation, offering a theoretical and practical tool for advancing CE discourse and building more coherent circular ecosystems.
