Gestión intergubernamental y capacidad estratégica en el desarrollo local y regional fronterizo

Abstract

On the basis of the approaches to intergovernmental management of policies and to strategic ability, the main objective of this paper is to examine the role played by local governments in the regional development of the Mexican Northern border. The theoretical contribution of this article entails emphasizing and specifying the role played by management in border development policies based on the managerial and, in general, government ability of human resources. Likewise, intergovernmental management with regard to border affairs, specially at the local level, as well as transborder problems management, is established. The main inquiry in this paper is: do border governments have the abilities to promote regional development in a border and transborder context? The premise set forth here is that a greater and effective cooperation between the three government levels -local, state and federal- with regard to regional development and supported by a strategic ability contributes to a better policy management and implementation. The general topics included in this article are: 1. Growth theory and regional policy background, where the significance of management and the public policies for the main growth theories and regional policy are emphasized; 2. Public management, ability and intergovernmental management, in additon to examining the general background of public management and defining the concept of government ability and its impact on the regional development, and 3. Border problems and new approaches in regional development management. Some limitations in government ability are analyzed, and, in this context, new management strategies and local policies are proposed.