Content uploaded by Lucia Dobrucká
Author content
All content in this area was uploaded by Lucia Dobrucká on Nov 22, 2017
Content may be subject to copyright.
Technical University of Košice, Faculty of Economics
2
nd
Central European Conference in Regional Science – CERS, 2007
–
215 –
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Strategic Development Plan of Municipality
and its Possible Implementation into Slovak Planning System
LUCIA DOBRUCKÁ
Comenius University in Bratislava, Faculty of Management
Odbojárov 10, 82005 Bratislava
Slovak republic
ldobrucka@yahoo.com
Abstract
Development planning in regions and municipalities is a hot topic
nowadays. A grant project “Methodology of Development of
Strategic Development Plan for Municipalities” takes place in
Comenius University and Slovak University of Technology in
Bratislava. A team of young researchers of more than 10 professions
tries to develop a new approach to strategic planning in strong
connection to practical problems of Slovak territorial and spatial
planning.
The project started in 2005. Since that time the basic practical
problems of spatial planning in Slovak municipalities were
identified. Present European trends and examples were compared to
Slovak approaches based on legislation and institutional support.
Cooperation with Slovak municipalities and micro-regions enable
the team to test the key ideas of the methodology while developing it
and to see the partial results. All of the mentioned helped to find out
key principals of strategic planning in Slovak municipalities and
point on key factors influencing future implementation of it.
Key words:
regional development, spatial planning, strategic plan,
integration, coordination
1 Introduction
There was a “monopoly” of general urban planning in Slovak municipalities until 2001. In
2001 a new Act n. 503/2001 about Regional Development Support came into operation. It
applied European knowledge and experience of strategic regional planning into Slovak legal
system focusing on social-economic planning. “The Program of social and economic
development (PSED) is a mid-term plan consisting of analytical part, development priorities
and activities, and suggestion of financial and administrative system.” [1] The problem is that
the definition of PSED brings a lot of practical problems and misunderstandings. It doesn’t
use a potential of the term “strategic planning” as the theory of strategic management
understands it. The term is much more complex and balanced than our legal system defines.
In 2005 a project called “Methodology of development of strategic development plan for
municipalities” supported by Agency for Science and Research Support started (shortened as
APVT project in the rest of the article). The goal of the project was to develop methods of
Technical University of Košice, Faculty of Economics
2
nd
Central European Conference in Regional Science – CERS, 2007
–
216 –
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
development of strategic plan based on tools and principals of strategic management theory.
The basic idea at the beginning of the project was that the methodologies for PSED
development don’t work properly. A new methodology was supposed to be used by both
scientific and practical spheres. A model plan should have been developed.
The methodology of the project is based on multi professional cooperation, coordination of
partial results and practical work with and in Slovak villages. The project research team is
composed from young researchers coming from different faculties such as Faculty of Fine
Arts, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Faculty of Management at Comenius University and
Faculty of Architecture at Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava. Professions such as
managers, regionalists, architects, landscape architects, sociologists, historians,
environmentalists, etc. participate on the project. The project integrates professionals from
practice too, for example a representative from regional development agency, a representative
from non-government organisation “Agrogenofond”, authorised architects, etc. More than 30
villages were invited to cooperate and involved in analytical part of the project. Practical
partial results were presented in front of inhabitants and discussed with local governments.
A conference took place in Bratislava in March 2007. There were 2 goals of the conference.
The first one was to present the scientific as well as practical results of project team. The
second one was to get ideas and opposite opinions of 7 experts, 7 different professions, from
universities and practice. All of them read the methodology and stated their arguments in
positive and negative way. The general output was as follows. The topic of the project is very
important and actual. The methodology of the project was chosen properly. The team didn’t
use all of the potential it had according to its multi professional background. It is almost
impossible to join scientific and practical approach in a way the team did. Higher attention
should be given to general planning system in Slovakia that consists of strategic planning,
urban planning and ecological planning. The results of the project should be less diplomatic
and more future oriented.
According to the recommendation of the experts the new goals of the project were given.
Deeper analysis of the Slovak planning system in connection to foreign trends and
recommendations should be given rather than just a methodology. The final publication will
consist of 2 parts. First one will focus on analysis of world, European and Slovak trends in
territorial and spatial planning together with ideas about possible improvement of Slovak
planning system. The research should continue in a new project oriented on integrative
planning system since next year. Second one will present some of practical principals and
steps to create a good strategic plan. The publication will be used in a following 3-year-long
project named “Integrated planning system” if the application is successful.
The rest of the article presents some of the results of the APVT project.
2 Strategy and its place in Slovak planning system
2.1 Misinterpretation of the term “strategic planning”
As already mentioned the term “strategy” is much more complex than Slovak legislation of
PSED covers.
“When I noticed that the people of the same abilities can be both rich and poor I was
surprised. But I discovered that the fact is natural. The ones without any motives and dreams
of future failed.” [2] „A lot of complaining organisations complain just because they didn’t
have a good strategy, they didn’t have any thoughts about future. Practical problems are
mostly based on lack of imagination and creativity.” [3] „A vision is an idea about the future
based on fictions beyond today’s experience.” [4]
“An inter-professional and inter-functional integration is a heart of each strategy. It means
an ability to join and integrate activities in the whole range of value chain and to create a
Technical University of Košice, Faculty of Economics
2
nd
Central European Conference in Regional Science – CERS, 2007
–
217 –
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
situation in which all the activities complement into an integrated entity.” [5] “I guarantee
that even the genial leaders aren’t authors of all of the new ideas. The ideas appear as a
result of very advanced combination of creative people. The geniality of the leaders is to find
the people, meat them, talk to them and to be in touch with them. This helps the team to slowly
create an opinion on possible and impossible.” [6] “The main purpose for cooperation among
different types of subject is that the cooperation is unavoidable.” [7]
All of the sentences above show the strategy is much more complex and important than just a
mid-term plan of analysis, activities and support system. Each subject aiming to develop itself
in a long-term perspective has to start by a strategic concept. Strategic concept functions as a
very strong motivator. First, a vision has to be defined. It shows the future and answers the
question how the subject wants to look like in a long period of time. Second, a mission means
stating a purpose of a subject’s existence. Third, a strategy shows a way to reach the vision. It
gives basic limits of what is and what isn’t allowed and eligible. Finally, the strategic goals
define stages on the way to the vision and help to control the whole concept. The strategic
concept helps to build success of a subject. [8]
It is not easy to create a good strategy. Even the big companies worldwide differ in they
ability to have and implement it. Strategic planning in territories is even more difficult
according to big amount of different types of involved subjects and their needs.
2.2 Principals of strategic management
Talking about strategic planning in territories we have to talk about strategy and its principals
in general. A term “strategy” is very old and basically it is connected to military terminology.
The very original work about strategy comes out from ancient China. Sun Tzu, an old Chinese
Master, wrote a message The Art of War that is used by nowadays managers worldwide. Sun
Tzu talked about the main premises of a victory – to know your own army, to know your
enemy, to know the conditions. He also points on necessity of interaction and integration of
factors mentioned below.
The project of APVT team developed a table that compares strategic principals used by
different subjects – army, commercial company, non-profit organization and municipality.
The comparison helps to clarify the way municipalities should be managed.
Table 1 – Comparison of strategic principals used by different subjects
Army Company Non-profit organization Municipality
Ethical rules
of
governance
The rules have to be
wise and have to include
moral support of
soldiers. Soldiers are the
ones that really fight and
create the victory.
The employees have to
know they are
important and
supported. Managers
have to be responsible
and fair.
Ethics influences not only
the employees but also
the public. Public support
or reject NO according to
its moral credit.
A public control should
be stricter about local
governments as well as
about the behaviour of
inhabitants.
Abilities of
generals The personality of the
general couldn’t be
learned like professional
skills. That means it has
to be the main factor of
selection. The most
important are wisdom,
courage, benignancy,
honesty and strictness.
The ancient principals
were transformed into
rules of leadership in
companies.
The leader and his
personality help to
motivate people. A lot of
volunteers work in NO
processing under very
hard conditions because
of their leader.
Natural informal
authorities for local
inhabitants have to be
involved into leading in
territories.
Conditions,
climate and
landscape
Environment is a factor
that is not possible to
control. A good general
knows how to use it by
choosing correct time
and place of the fight.
Change management is
belongs to the most
frequent terms in
companies. Sector
analyses are important.
Similar to companies. The municipality
cannot move itself.
Therefore its important
to identify a key
potential and to use it.
It is a mistake to copy
the way other territories
behave.
Technical University of Košice, Faculty of Economics
2
nd
Central European Conference in Regional Science – CERS, 2007
–
218 –
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Comparison
of strengths
of armies
“Strengths” is a relative
term. They have to be
judged in comparison to
strengths and
weaknesses of the
enemy. Good generals
know their enemy and
disable the enemy to
know them. It is very
effective to borrow the
power and to make
alliances.
Competitive analyses
as a basis for strategy
development are used
daily. Competitive
advantage is a key
power of the company
that the competitor
cannot copy. Strategic
partnerships help to
grow even thou the
company doesn’t have
the potential by itself.
Partnerships help to create
synergic effect among
activities of different NOs
operating in the same
territory or group of
people. It also helps to
share sources and risks.
It is important to
compare the potential
of the municipality
with the potential of its
neighbours. Also the
trend in time is
important. Partnership
enables the
municipality to “move”
and cross its territorial
borders.
Organisation
Rules are important for
the army. Also it is
necessary to delegate the
competences to make
decisions to lower
officers. Full trust,
honesty and truth is
needed to do so.
Hierarchic
organisational structure
is changed into linear
one and less levels of
management are used.
Teamwork is preferred
in most companies.
All of the employees and
volunteers know the
vision, mission and actual
projects of NO. This helps
to create close
relationships and
enthusiasm.
Combination of formal
structure (local
government) with
informal one (opinion
leaders) is needed. It is
important to encourage
inhabitants to cooperate
and come up with their
own activities.
Training of
generals and
soldiers
If the soldiers don’t
know the signs they
cannot follow their
officers in a battle.
“Learning
organisation” means
continuous learning of
all employees. It
involves studying,
learning in practice on
their own mistakes and
understanding of the
organizational culture.
Contains on
understanding of the NO.
Studying is mostly based
on informal contacts and
discussions.
Education of
inhabitants is a key to
their activity. They
have to take their own
part of the
responsibility for the
situation in territory.
Discipline A balanced system of
rewards and
punishments is needed.
Both sides have to be
clear, fair and strictly
kept.
System of rewards and
punishments is
involved in a system of
salaries, benefits and
motivators.
NO use the system of
awards. They are
basically based on
individual satisfaction and
feeling of being useful.
Sometimes the feeling is
so strong that the worst
punishment is to exclude
the person.
An effective system of
aids and donations is
needed. But the most
important is to teach
people to be
responsible for their
own behaviour except
of waiting for the
government decision.
2.3 Planning system for territories in Slovakia
Actual Slovak planning system consists of 3 pillars – strategic planning (Act n. 503/2001),
urban planning (Act n. 50/1976) and ecological planning (Act n. 24/2006).
From the legal point of view the urban planning is the most important one. It is obligatory and
Slovak subjects are already used to it. The problem is that the Act n. 50/1976 about urban
planning and building didn’t change since it was created and it isn’t as suitable as it should be.
A new act was created in spring 2007 and the quality is even worse than the old one. The
Slovak government didn’t accept remarks and suggestions of professional organizations. The
topic of urban planning was pushed out of the emphasis of the act. Second problem is there
are no professional offices on local or national level concerning urban planning today. There
was a national office URBION and offices of Chief architects in municipalities in past.
Offices of Chief architects were closed down after 1989 as a result of averse of Slovaks to any
kind of planning. URBION was closed down too and the coordination and methodology of
territorial planning shifted to Slovak agency for environment in 2003. The importance of
urban plan decreased and the importance of ecological plan increased as a result of the
change.
Ecological planning is an obligatory part of urban planning. The problem is the actual
methodology is very complicated and expensive. That means the municipalities force the
teams to lower the quality. Also the “urban” team doesn’t cooperate with “eco” team very
Technical University of Košice, Faculty of Economics
2
nd
Central European Conference in Regional Science – CERS, 2007
–
219 –
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
often. Ecology is a part of analysis but it isn’t implemented in a part of urban suggestions.
This situation brings an anti-reaction of ecologists. They start to create urban plans by
themselves. Of course the quality of final plan is even lower usually. The Ministry of
environment SR prepare the Slovak country policy this year. It tries to get closer to urban
planning system and to interact these 2 tools more closely finally. Hopefully the policy helps
to improve the situation of urban planning too.
Both of urban planners and ecologists don’t like to accept the third pillar. The Program of
social and economic development (PSED) is a young tool created in 2001. The integration of
SR into EU was the main purpose for the Act n. 503/2001. Several methodologies how to
make the PSED occurred, each of them has its own strengths and weaknesses. The problem is
the municipalities don’t understand the importance of strategic planning. PSED are developed
only because EU grants require them. Also the interactions among PSED, urban plan and
ecological plan are very week or none. These days there is a new act under preparation.
Unfortunately the situation is even worse than the one with urban planning. The government
doesn’t accept the professional discussions and will create very bad conditions for future
probably.
In 2004 the last amendment of the Act n. 330/1991 about land reform was signed. The
problem is the act doesn’t correspond with none of the acts mentioned above. The
methodology of the reform is independent and financed from EU founds. In practice it helps
to clean up the land properties and relationships but on the other side it destroys historical
land structures. The will of Ministry of Agriculture SR to discus is very poor.
Generally we can say the situation in territorial planning in Slovakia is bad. It is complicated
also with the Act n. 416/2001 about passing some of the competencies to municipalities. The
real power in the territory moved to local governments. The quality of the region depends
fully on the decisions of few people. Professionals with their knowledge, ideas and skills are
pushed away from the regions or they aren’t paid well. Wrong decisions and disappointments
occur.
2.4 Basic recommendations
The APVT team developed the rules for strategic plan development. First, a complex
approach based on context has to be used. “Context understanding enables to catch the
relationships and interactions better than just a certain point of view.” [9] Second,
cooperation and agreement among different subjects, such as professionals, local government,
inhabitants, interest groups, enterprises, cooperation municipalities, etc. Third, it is important
to focus on key factors and competitive advantages. It is a mistake to try to solve all the
problems the territory has. „Cardinal problem is to choose the things crucial in a given
situation.” [10] Fourth, a long-term, progressive and motivational vision must be developed.
Fifth, we have to pay attention to reality and realizable goals. The ability to join all of the
plans and activities in the territory helps to save money, time, people and stress. “Focusing on
complementary and coordination of planning systems helps to avoid duplicities,
misunderstandings, lower the costs and increase the effectiveness of planning.” [11] Ad last,
the plans have to be flexible and cyclic.
A formal structure should correspond with the idea of strategic principals. The core document
should be short (not more than 15 pages) and should consist of strategic parts, such as SWOT
analysis, key potential and limits, stakeholders, vision, mission, long-term strategy and
strategic goals. Operative goals can be removed into attachments with a link to relevant action
plan or project. Analysis can be placed in attachment as well. The form is much easier to
public and to read and understand for local government as well as for inhabitants.
A new project focusing on integrated planning system should begin in the future. Its goals
should concentrate on connecting all of the 3 described pillars. It includes identification of
Technical University of Košice, Faculty of Economics
2
nd
Central European Conference in Regional Science – CERS, 2007
–
220 –
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
possible interactions and intersections. The key point in from point of view of practical
implementation is a revision of legal system, system of Slovak institutions and methodologies
of individual pillars. Also the question of professionals and their education system should be
touched. The new project should be based on multi professional cooperation involving the
politicians too.
Picture 1 – Integrated planning system
3 Conclusion
The article showed a brief overview about the APVT project “Methodology of development
of strategic development plan for municipality” and its results. The key point could be stated
as follows. The territorial planning system in Slovakia is in a bad situation. To change it, it is
necessary to focus on coordination of its 3 pillars – strategic planning, urban planning and
ecological planning. An intersection of these pillars, integrated planning system, is a crucial
point for future success and balanced development of Slovak municipalities.
The APVT project described in the article brought the basic strategic principals for territorial
management. It helped to understand the term “strategy” and brought new ideas into theory of
spatial planning. After the project finishes the key steps for making a strategic plan will be
developed. The limit of the APVT project is in its concentration on strategic planning. Just
brief intersections and connections with other planning systems in Slovakia are described. A
new project should focus on integrated planning system more deeply.
The main principals for regional development that the APVT team pointed on correspond
with the conclusions of the Biennale of European Urban and Spatial Planners (Budapest, June
2007) and World Congress of Housing and Planning (Copenhagen, September 2007). The
conclusions of these 2 events are as follows. Spatial and urban planning have to match while a
renaissance of planning is coming. Principal of long-term strategic planning have be used. A
communication, coordination and solidarity are the critical conditions for “multi” approach
needed nowadays. General skills are more important than individual professionals. The
municipalities have to be competitive but not competing. Politicians have a real power
meaning they must be involved into territorial development planning.
Acknowledgements
The article was written thanks to the support of Agency for Science and Research Support
under the grant n. APVT-20-032104.
The author studied strategic management at the Faculty of Management, Comenius University
in Bratislava. Nowadays she studies as a PhD student of spatial planning at the Faculty of
Architecture, Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava. She has practical experiences
with regional strategic planning system based on several grants and projects made in
cooperation with Slovak municipalities.
Technical University of Košice, Faculty of Economics
2
nd
Central European Conference in Regional Science – CERS, 2007
–
221 –
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
References
[1] Coplák, J.: Zhodnotenie postavenia a funkcie územného plánovania na lokálnej úrovni
v rámci súčasného plánovacieho systému na Slovensku. In: Rozvojové plány obcí na
Slovensku – výber z analýz stavu (Development plans of Slovak municipalities –
selected status analysis). Peter Mačura – PEEM, Bratislava 2005, ISBN 80-89197-40-
X
[2] Socrates
[3] Prahalad, C.K., Hamel, G. In: Nový obraz budoucnosti (Rethinking the Future).
Management Press, Praha 2000, ISBN 80-7261-036-8
[4] Papula, J.: Vývoj teórie strategického manažmentu pod vplyvom meniaceho sa
prostredia. (Development of strategic management theories in conditions of changing
environment) Kartprint, Bratislava 2004, ISBN 80-88870-40-2
[5] Porter, M. In: Gibson, R a kol.: Nový obraz budoucnosti (Rethinking the Future).
Management Press, Praha 2000, ISBN 80-7261-036-8
[6] Hamel, G. In Gibson, R a kol.: Nový obraz budoucnosti (Rethinking the Future).
Management Press, Praha 2000, ISBN 80-7261-036-8
[7] SMOLKOVÁ, E.: Strategické partnerstvá (Strategic partnerships). Bratislava:
Eurounion, 2005b, ISBN 80-88984-84-X
[8] Dobrucká, L., Smoklová, E.: Konkurencieschopnosť regiónov (Competitivness of
regions). In: Firma a konkurenční prostředí 2005, Mendelova zemědělská a lesnická
univerzita v Brne, Brno 2005, ISBN 80-7302-104-8
[9] Blažek, B. 1996. Od vize ke strategiím: Metody pro strategické myšlení ve městech
(From vision to strategies: Methods for strategic thinking in cities). In: Územní
plánování a urbanismus, 1996
[10] Maier, K. 1997. Strategické plánování a programové rozvojové dokumenty obcí a
regionů (Strategic planning and program development documents of municipalities).
In: Urbanismus a územní rozvoj, 1997
[11] Maier, K. 1999. Souvislosti a vazby strategického a územního plánování (Context and
connections of strategic and urban planning). In: Strategie rozvoje v území -
promítnutí do zadání ÚPD. Praha: ČVUT, 1999.