Future Public Governance and Global Crises: Nordic Perspectives

This timely book provides an in-depth exploration of future public governance in a post-pandemic world. It highlights the relationship between administrative reforms, collaborative mechanisms, and emphasises the necessity of a solid knowledge base and evidence based policy-making when responding to unforeseen societal changes and crises. The Editors bring together expert authors to examine governance through structures, co-creation, collaboration, and knowledge utilization. Chapters feature insightful case studies from Nordic countries and Estonia with a special focus on the pioneering efforts of the latter transforming their public sector by harnessing social capital. They showcase the importance of preparing for unexpected challenges through trust based management mechanisms and co-creative solutions. Ultimately, the book underlines the need for anticipation and evidence-informed policy-making in effective governance, especially in times of crisis. Future Public Governance and Global Crises is a vital resource for students of European public administration and policy, regulation and governance, comparative social policy and political sociology. It will also be of interest to policymakers working in future governance.

Table of Contents:
Contents 1 Introducing Future Public Governance and Global Crises: Nordic Perspectives 1 Jan-Erik Johanson, Elias Pekkola, Jari Stenvall and Marjukka Mikkonen PART I Structures of governance 2 Towards the best public administration in the world: a case of health and social services reform in Finland from the perspective of children’s and families’ services 13 Eija Mattila and Tomi J. Kallio 3 What about us? Functional integration of local government services as part of social and health care reform in Finland 27 Patrik Nordin and Jan-Erik Johanson 4 Interdependence, knowledge and cooperation in cross-border cooperation in the North 43 Paula Tulppo, Timo Aarrevaara and Risto Harisalo 5 Discontinuity in projectified governance: challenges for governing the future 59 Johan Munck af Rosenschöld and Kanerva Kuokkanen PART II Co-creation and collaboration 6 Trust-reforms in Scandinavia: Assessments of adoption and impacts of trust-based management in public sector organizations 77 Åge Johnsen 7 Searching for Nordic features: institutional logics of participatory budgeting in local government 93 Lotta-Maria Sinervo, Kaisa Kurkela and Pauliina Lehtonen 8 Transforming the public sector through harnessing social capital and innovation in rural Estonia 109 Kadri Kangro and Katri-Liis Lepik 9 Whose voice matters? The role and democratic legitimacy of the representation of civil society in sport in contemporary Nordic governance 127 Marjukka Mikkonen and Kati Lehtonen PART III Knowledge 10 Governing uncertainty by anticipating risk: assessing crisis management during COVID-19 145 Jari Stenvall, Rómulo Pinheiro, Jan-Erik Johanson, Elias Pekkola, Jarle Trondal and Pasi-Heikki Rannisto 11 Anticipation and futures knowledge in policy and strategy-making at the local level in Finland 167 Hanna Heino 12 Evidence-informed policymaking in physical activity policy: reflections on Finland 181 Minttu Korsberg 13 Emerging governance issues within a changing geopolitical landscape for international collaboration in Nordic public research 201 Agnete Vabø and Evanthia Kalpazidou Schmidt 14 Collective resilience and sustainability in public policy: reframing the problems of unsustainability – a Nordic contribution 217 Esa Käyhkö 15 Conclusions: Stormwatch? Governance strategies for unpredictable seas 233 Elias Pekkola, Jan-Erik Johanson, Emmi Siirtola, Marjukka Mikkonen and Jari Stenvall

About the Author :
Edited by Elias Pekkola, Vice Dean, Jan-Erik Johanson, Professor of Administrative Science, Marjukka Mikkonen, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Jari Stenvall, Professor of Administrative Science and Emmi Siirtola, Researcher, Faculty of Management and Business, Tampere University, Finland

Review :
‘The Nordic welfare model faces various internal and external challenges that demand innovative approaches to public governance. This volume provides a wealth of insights into these challenges and potential solutions, covering areas from social services and healthcare to regional development and knowledge production for policymakers. Essential for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers in the Nordic countries and beyond.’