Phenomenon-based public administration

The objective of this discussion paper is to help the national government and ministries to reform their operations in a more strategic, consistent and longer-term direction.

We are primarily proposing functional reforms and, to a limited extent, structural changes, which provide political leaders, ministries and public officials with tools that support them in strategic decisionmaking and effective implementation.

Particular attention is paid to identifying phenomena that are of importance for the future of Finland and require cross-sectoral policy solutions.

The drafting of this discussion paper was supported by a steering group composed of experts from public administration and other sectors. In addition, we consulted a wide range of Finnish and international stakeholders and analysed global benchmarks in order to propose concrete improvements for organising the way the Finnish Government works.

The strengths of Finnish administration are often characterised as stability and predictability. In the future, the maintenance of these traditional strengths and the development of new ones will require an active, future-oriented approach and a strong collaborative culture, for which this discussion paper offers some elements