ANNUAL OPERATIONAL PLAN AND STRATEGIC INVESTMENT PROCESSES IN PUBLIC MANAGEMENT OF THE PARISH GAD MEMBRILLAL

Abstract

DOI: https://doi.org/10.46296/yc.v10i18.0844

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.