Rodríguez-Bravo et al. (2026)
Abstract
Contemporary public management faces the challenge of ensuring the efficient use of resources
and the adequate delivery of services to citizens. In this context, institutional planning becomes a
key element for guiding public action and ensuring the fulfillment of organizational objectives.
According to Valencia Maquera (2022), strategic planning allows for the organization of
institutional activities and improves decision-making within public entities. Within this framework,
the Annual Operating Plan (AOP) is consolidated as one of the main planning instruments in the
public sector, as it allows for the translation of strategic objectives into concrete actions to be
executed within a specific period. According to Delgado Gutiérrez and Magallanes Muñoz (2023),
this instrument facilitates the organization of institutional work and its linkage to the budget,
contributing to results-oriented management. However, the literature shows that the application
of the AOP presents several limitations at the institutional level. Murillo Vaca (2023) points out
that one of the main weaknesses in public management lies in the deficient technical formulation
of planning instruments, especially the lack of indicators and monitoring mechanisms, which
hinders the evaluation of results. In this sense, planning should not be analyzed in isolation, but
rather in direct relation to budget management and public investment processes. The proper
coordination between planning and budgeting is fundamental to guaranteeing the efficient use of
resources and improving the impact of institutional interventions. In this area, Ecuadorian
regulations establish the need to link these processes to ensure efficient public management
(
National Assembly of Ecuador, 2020a). Similarly, the current legal framework establishes that
Decentralized Autonomous Governments must formulate, implement, and evaluate their planning
instruments based on territorial needs. The Organic Code of Territorial Organization, Autonomy,
and Decentralization highlights the importance of these processes as part of institutional
management and local development (National Assembly of Ecuador, 2020b). Furthermore,
institutional planning is closely linked to governance principles such as transparency and
accountability. In this regard, recent studies have indicated that proper planning contributes to
improving institutional performance and strengthening citizen trust, provided that effective control
and evaluation mechanisms are implemented (Ecuacientífica Journal, 2025). Despite these
theoretical and regulatory contributions, many local governments still face limitations in aligning
their Annual Operating Plan (AOP) with strategic investment processes, which affects institutional
efficiency and the capacity to generate results within their territories. In this context, the Membrillal
Parish Decentralized Autonomous Government recognizes the need to analyze the level of
alignment between its AOP and strategic investment processes in order to identify the main
strengths and weaknesses in its implementation. Therefore, this research aims to analyze the
relationship between the Annual Operating Plan and the strategic investment processes in the
Membrillal Parish Government, with the purpose of providing elements that contribute to
strengthening public management and improving institutional planning processes.
Keywords: annual operating plan, public management, processes, planning.
Orgánico de Organización Territorial,
1
. Introducción
Autonomía
COOTAD) y el Código Orgánico de
Planificación y Finanzas Públicas
COPFP), los cuales establecen los
y
Descentralización
La planificación en el sector público
constituye un proceso fundamental
para orientar la gestión institucional
hacia el cumplimiento de objetivos
estratégicos y el desarrollo territorial.
En el caso ecuatoriano, este proceso
(
(
lineamientos para la formulación,
ejecución y evaluación de los
instrumentos de planificación en los
se
encuentra
regulado
Gobiernos
Autónomos
principalmente por el Código
Descentralizados.