The Indispensable Role of Informal Institutions in Local Strategic Planning

Authors

  • Tomáš Sýkora
  • Kateřina Vyhnánková
  • Jaroslav Koutský
  • Lenka Slavíková

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.20899/jpna.tb489p83

Keywords:

Local strategic planning, Municipality development, Deficiencies in planning, Informal institutions

Abstract

Several scholars have argued that informal institutions can play a supportive and mediating role in strategic planning at the local level, particularly by shaping interactions, communication practices, and decision-making routines rather than directly enhancing the planning process itself (e.g., Rodríguez-Pose & Storper, 2006; Sotarauta & Suvinen, 2018). This study draws on qualitative methods, combining a Delphi panel with semi-structured interviews with municipal officials and experts to explore these dynamics. This article examines how planning artefacts can be strategically employed to mitigate deficiencies in the implementation and evaluation phases of municipal strategic planning in Czechia. At the same time, the study reveals several deficiencies in the current use of these artefacts themselves – particularly issues related to human agency (e.g. enthusiasm, motivation) and methodological shortcomings in strategic work (such as excessive analytism or the absence of a genuinely strategic approach). Clarifying both dimensions allows us to assess not only the potential of planning artefacts but also the conditions under which they can function effectively. Based on the expert assessments, a coincidence matrix is proposed to visualise the relationships between specific deficiencies and planning artefacts, offering a practice-oriented framework for improving local strategic planning.

Author Biographies

  • Tomáš Sýkora

    Tomáš Sýkora is an Assistant Professor at the Jan Evangelista Purkyne University in Usti nad Labem (Czechia) and his attention is drawn to the issues of strategic management of the city and municipality development, especially with regard to the significance of local communities in the process of strategic planning.  He is the founder of an independent platform called Forpolis (The Institute for Community and Settlement Development).

  • Kateřina Vyhnánková

    Kateřina Vyhnánková is an is a researcher at the Jan Evangelista Purkyne University in Usti nad Labem (Czechia) and deals with issues of community development, issues related to the formation of local communities and the sharing of values ​​within communities. She also addressed the issue of social innovations in small municipalities.

  • Jaroslav Koutský

    Jaroslav Koutský is an Associate Professor of Economics and Management at the Jan Evangelista Purkyne University in Usti nad Labem (Czechia) and the supervisor of the study programme of Regional Development and Public Administration.  His research focuses on the issues of transformation of old industrial regions, especially on their economic and social changes and the perspectives of further development.

  • Lenka Slavíková

    Lenka Slavíková is an Associate Professor of Public Economics at the Jan Evangelista Purkyne University in Usti nad Labem (Czechia) and the supervisor of the doctoral study programme of Applied Economics and Public Administration.  Her research activities focus on the issue of natural resources regulation (in particular water and biodiversity) and the social aspects of the decreasing of natural risks (droughts and floods).

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Published

2026-09-15

Issue

Vol. 12 No. 1 (2026)

Section

Research Articles

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How to Cite

The Indispensable Role of Informal Institutions in Local Strategic Planning. (2026). Journal of Public and Nonprofit Affairs, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.20899/jpna.tb489p83