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The New Public Managers
in Finland: Context, Competencies and Development (1997), Finnish
Institute of Public Management and EDITA, Helsinki, ISBN 951-37-2341-0.
Focus:
The main focuses of the study were to analyse the
trends and directions of the Finnish public management; employment
structures of the public organisations; public sector performance; the
organisational framework of the new public managers and their authority,
responsibility and accountability.
Findings:
The study results in the book indicate slower
economic growth and increased structural un-employment have compelled
Finland to take various measures to increase performance level. Measures
are for example, establishment of a framework for clarifying objectives,
assisting clear responsibilities for achieving results, setting targets,
providing appropriate initiatives and taking follow up actions.
The book points out a number of steps taken by
Finnish public organisations to promote 'market type' mechanisms. It is
also reforming the central government personnel policy to encourage
'personnel for better performance' policy. However, the study also
reveals that the economic crisis has turned the focus on budget
reductions rather than performance improvement.
It is explained in the book that most New Public
Managers in Finland works in the result-budgeted agencies and
net-budgeted agencies, institutions with business action and public
enterprises; and state-owned companies. The change process in the
Finnish public sector is comparatively rapid and different agencies are
changing from one type to another and ultimately to 'public
enterprises'.
The book also points out that the managerial
culture of the new public managers are influenced by greater freedom of
action and accountability, performance incentives and rewards, greater
value for money, linking costs and benefits, corporate strategies,
performance agreements, continuous reform impacts etc. The new public
managers are enjoying almost same level of freedom as business
executives in managing their organisations, although, they are strictly
accountable for their performance to government.
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