Managerial Competencies and Municipal Governance: A Relational Analysis from Local Public Management Towards the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. Analysis in the Seven Municipalities of the Tulancingo Valley

Abstract

Abstract

Objective: To analyze how managerial competencies influence the capacity of municipal governments in the Tulancingo Valley (TV) to generate effective governance and advance progress toward achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Theoretical Framework: The research is grounded in relational governance approaches, managerial effectiveness, bureaucratic professionalization, and competency development, articulated within a systemic perspective of sustainable territorial development. This framework explains the relationship between managerial competencies, institutional capacity, and municipal governance in contexts marked by structural inequality. Method: A qualitative, cross-sectional, descriptive-interpretative design was adopted, with an ethnographic approach and a constructivist foundation. Thirty-five municipal and social actors from municipalities in the Tulancingo Valley participated, selected through convenience sampling and guided by theoretical saturation criteria. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews. Inductive analysis was supported by ATLAS.ti 25, using open coding, semantic networks, and co-occurrence analysis. Results and Discussion: The findings reveal a condition of “managerial anemia” characterized by weaknesses in soft skills, absence of merit-based mechanisms, and limited training in governance, thereby shaping a cycle of low institutional capacity. The study confirms that managerial professionalization functions as a systemic lever capable of activating virtuous cycles of participation and SDG compliance. Research Implications: The results inform reforms in competency-based recruitment, strategic training, and the strengthening of social capital, with implications for social cohesion and citizen participation. Originality/Value: This study provides a multi-layered relational analysis integrating competencies, socio-professional profiles, and governance, offering territorial evidence for the design of municipal professionalization policies in Mexico.