Issue №13. December 2007

Strategic Correction of Municipal Administration

University of Victoria, Canada.

The article analyzes the problems of municipal-level strategic planning in Canada. Municipal authorities are often cynical about strategic planning, but nevertheless the idea that regulation is vitally important for developing a successful strategy is as old as strategy itself. Without strategic budget planning, municipal administration reacts to end-of-the-year pressure by satisfying the short-term needs and the demands of those who demand louder or react faster. Strategically regulated governance includes financial measures and other arrangements in a cause-effect chain of balanced results protocol. To be effective, building strategic alignment must reach beyond mere communication to build strategic awareness and actively engage people in the creative process. While our organizational structure and budget processes are important elements of our accountability framework, they can also impede our response to strategic challenges. A clear plan to bridge these gaps is essential if we are to build a navigation system that allows us to implement our strategy and realize our vision of the future.

Keywords

Strategic planning, strategic budgeting, municipal government of Canada, strategically regulated administration.