Finnish Public Administration: Nordic Public Space and Agency [Hardcover]

This book provides a comprehensive analysis of public administration in Finland. Many of the basic structures of Finnish public administration have remained intact during the countrys relatively short independence of 100 years, but Finland has been able to tackle major  turbulence ranging from wars and financial crises to the Covid-19 pandemic. Finland has also had to adjust to greater European integration, a new constitution, an ageing population, increased globalization of markets, and climate change. Chapters in this volume examine a wide range of themes pertinent to Finnish public administration, including government, regionalisation, health care policy, performance management, budgeting, and higher education policy. Placing these themes within the wider context of Nordic administrative developments, the book showcases public administration in Finland as pragmatism in action. It will appeal to students and scholars of public administration, public management, public policyand Nordic studies.

1: Introduction to Nordic public administration.- Part 1: Structures and Space.- 2: Defining polity: Finnish politico-administrative system.- 3: City-regionalization, local democracy and civic participation.- 4: Government of government: How and by whom the government is governed?- 5: Local government and autonomy.- 6: Constructing the Finnish constitutional doctrine on regional self-government.- 7: Public financial management: budgeting and accountability.- 8:Performance management in the Finnish government: reflections and future directions from the perspectives of hybridity and sustainability.- 9: Public service systems: meaningful public service.- Part 2: Process and actors.- 10: Social and health care policy: taming complexities?- 11: Nordic environmental state in the making? The difficult transformation to sustainable practices.- 12: Higher education policy: accountable academia.- 13: Landscapes olӝ