A decision-making instrument or a waste of paper? Using the theory of planned behavior to analyze politicians’ intended use of strategic plans

Given the lack of insights into the relevance of strategic plans (SP) for politician’s strategic decision-making processes, this study uses the theory of planned behavior to investigate individual-level predictors of intended SP use among pliticians. We investigate whether politicians’ intention to adopt SP is contingent upon the attitude towards planning, the felt pressure to use and the proficiency in using a SP. Based on data gathered with 594 city councilors from 234 Public Centers for Social Welfare, we found that politicians intend to use SP if they believe that it is beneficial for the organization, that important organizational referents support its use, and that they have a high level of planning poficiency