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 country’s 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 policy and Nordic studies.

Résumés.

This book is addressed to people who want tho know more about the Innovation in Public Administration and why Finland is one of the leading countries for its innovative, efficient and "light" Public Administration and one of the most advanced E-government models in the world. In this book, the author analyzes the features of Finnish Public Administration, laws, Strategies and Government programs that allowed to promote an efficient and "light" Government, based on the principles of New Public Management (NPM) and budgeting by results. Moreover, She wanted to insight the evolution of E-government from Fifties till today. She also analyzed two e-government services considered best practices that had received a lot of awards in Finland: the online taxation service Verokortti Verkossa and the online education service Opintoluotsi. The author interviewed citizens in important tax offices in Finland (Helsinki, Tampere, Vaasa and Lahti) to know customer satisfaction for the e-service Verokortti Verkossa. She also interviewed students to know their satisfaction on the use of e-service Opintoluotsi (in terms of performance, utility, usability, accessibility, interactivity)

Since the 1990s, Finland has been a leader in exploiting information and communication technology (ICT) to reinvent its economy and to reform its public administration. It has created its own path to achieving e-government based on proactive services, data sharing, open government, protection of privacy and a common vision of an information society, while preserving the fundamental values of Finnish society. It is also committed to using e-government to reform the delivery of public services, ensuring both quality and increased efficiency.

This review of public governance in Finland finds the traditional Nordic model under pressure from rapid ageing, the economic crisis and societal disillusionment. It makes recommendations for improving public governance in Finland.

This publication examines public governance arrangements in Finland and Estonia in two key areas: whole-of-government strategy steering and digital governance.