Strategic Planning in Public Administration: A Formal Routine or An Administrative Practice Based on Awareness?

Abstract

Since the 1980s, strategic planning, which has become widespread with New Public Management (NPM) reforms, has become a central tool in public institutions in terms of vision building and performance measurement. However, it has been observed that in some cases, planning has become routine, serving merely as symbolic documents that meet regulatory requirements; in other cases, it has transformed into a conscious practice that strengthens organizational learning, stakeholder participation, and democratic legitimacy. Current approaches in the literature, which mostly focus on technical processes and performance indicators, overlook the mindset, culture, and legitimacy dimensions of planning. Aiming to fill this gap, this study conducted a conceptual analysis using an interpretive design based on qualitative research methods. The study draws on Chandler’s definition of strategy, Mintzberg’s critique of strategic planning, Moore’s public value approach, and DiMaggio and Powell’s institutional isomorphism model as the main theoretical axes. The findings show that the functionality of strategic planning is shaped by design logic, implementation mentality, and contextual conditions. It was determined that strategic plans can increase managerial blindness if they become mere “shelf documents”; on the other hand, they can strengthen performance and public value in learning-oriented and participatory processes. Additionally, institutional isomorphism increases the risk of routine by confining planning processes to similar patterns, while the relationship established with performance management can produce both complementary and conflicting results. Ultimately, the study positions strategic planning as a practice of consciousness that goes beyond being a purely technical management tool, serving as a means of producing public value and reproducing democratic legitimacy.