Conceptualizing and Operationalizing Planning Capacity

Abstract

Planning researchers often use planning capacity as an independent variable in studies of plan making and implementation. Increased capacity is associated with higher quality planning processes and plans. Yet, unlike in other fields such as public administration, planners have not devoted much attention to understanding the nature, impacts, and implications of planning capacity. This article synthesizes the literature concerning capacity in planning and related fields and proposes criteria that future definitions and measures of capacity should include.