Does strategic planning ‘work’ in public organizations? Insights from Flemish municipalities

Strategic planning (SP) is a popular instrument within public organizations. Despite its popularity, it remains unknown whether SP actually ‘works’ in a public sector setting. This article presents insights based on three empirical articles and interviews with five expert stakeholders in Flemish municipalities. These insights suggest that SP is more than a fad and can contribute to positive outcomes. However, this contribution is contingent upon the behaviour underlying the SP process.