This work is an exploratory study on the conditions that led to the adoption and perpetuation of the planning process of the city of Barcelona. We checked the political, historical and social constraints as well as the management of public policies. This study aimed to observe if those conditions were crucial for the application of the method of planning in the Catalan capital with a view to disseminating its model of planning worldwide, mostly in Latin America. Within this analysis, it was considered what supported the planning of the city of Barcelona over time and the way it was set up. For this purpose, documentary and bibliographic research were made, as well as semi-structured in-depth interviews with different players that are involved with the plan. The data were analyzed through the technique of content analysis, concluding that the most influencing constraint for adoption and perpetuation of the method of planning in Barcelona was the institutional constraint, because, throughout time, the region in question developed institutions that are able to carry out public policies for the long term. Thus, applying Barcelona's methodology of planning in other regions would require some adjustments.
strategic planning; cities management; municipal administration
