Strategic Planning in Turkish Local Administrations: How Participatory Is It?

Strategic plans are more participatory, more responsive, more integrated and more empowering when compared to the traditional plans. It has been nearly 20 years since the Financial Management and Control Law in Turkey required public institutions, including municipalities, to prepare strategic plans and to apply strategic management techniques. It has been observed that most of the metropolitan municipalities in Turkey just conduct surveys in the preparation process of strategic plans without organising workshops with the participation of various stakeholders. It seems that through surveys the legal requirement of ensuring the participation of stakeholders in the preparation process is met. It is considered that the local authorities in Turkey need to revise their approach to the strategic planning process in terms of good principles of governance, especially participation.