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The study focuses on the challenges of the ageing population in Finnish public policies related to municipal structures and finances. First, we review how the impacts of the ageing population have been identified and how necessary policy responses and reforms of the municipal division in particular have been prioritised by recent central governments. Second, we evaluate how state grant policy has equalised the financial capabilities of municipalities to cope with the financial consequences of the ageing population. Our findings indicate that ageing is believed to increase municipal expenditures because the demand for care services in particular is growing. The analysis also demonstrates that the state grantsystem is capable of substantially equalising the differences in tax bases and spending obligations between municipalities. Nevertheless, central governments have planned 'big-bang reform proposals', introducing a completely new tier of democratic government and regionalising the most burdensome welfare services of municipalities. ; publishedVersion ; Peer reviewed

The study focuses on the challenges of the ageing population in Finnish public policies related to municipal structures and finances. First, we review how the impacts of the ageing population have been identified and how necessary policy responses and reforms of the municipal division in particular have been prioritised by recent central governments. Second, we evaluate how state grant policy has equalised the financial capabilities ofmunicipalities to cope with the financial consequences of the ageing population. Our findings indicate that ageing is believed to increase municipal expenditures because the demand for care services in particular is growing. The analysis also demonstrates that the state grant system is capable of substantially equalising the differences in tax bases and spending obligations between municipalities. Nevertheless, central governments have planned 'big-bang reform proposals', introducing a completely new tier of democratic government and regionalising the most burdensome welfare services of municipalities. ; © 2021 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. ; fi=vertaisarvioitu|en=peerReviewed|

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to discuss the rationale and functioning of the partnership-based brokerage model as a vehicle of service integration with special reference to its support for information intermediation, learning and service market creation.Design/methodology/approachThe theoretical framework is built on the tension between New Public Management (NPM) and post-NPM thinking, which frames the analysis of the brokerage model for elderly care services in the city of Tampere, Finland. The empirical data are derived from interviews, evaluation reports and existing case descriptions.FindingsIn the Kotitori model, the broker enhances the capacity building of the city government and the cost-effectiveness of its service provision, provides added value through improved information processes and handles matters relating to subcontracting and the facilitation of the service provider network. The model as a whole reflects the hybridisation of public administration. Even if Kotitori contains many NPM-inspired elements, they are complemented by features derived from New Public Governance and the neo-Weberian local state. The most neglected aspect of post-NPM thinking in the design of Kotitori is citizen centredness.Originality/valueThis paper broadens the perspective on the role of brokers in public service provision and highlights the multi-dimensionality of the brokerage function. It also shows how such partnership-based brokerage model reflects various aspects of both NPM and post-NPM paradigm.

A perceived need for a wider resource base for territorial governance has initiated a new trend for regionalisation throughout the developed world. Local governments are frequently opposed to such a development. This article presents an institutional analysis of how Finland's tradition of strong localism has affected the forms, processes, and results of regionalisation. We argue that path dependence in the form of localist influence from the mid-1990s until the mid-2010s led to an incremental development of regional structures. However, circumstances changed in 2015 due to a historical decision by the centre-right government to establish a new tier of elected regional government. This was due to the diminished credibility of localism given the realities of contextual pressures and the government's attempts to improve efficiency and competitiveness. Eventually, this turn will radically undermine the role of local government as a stronghold of representative localism.

This paper analyses the voucher concept. It considers different types of vouchers in the public and private sectors, distinguishes between explicit and implicit vouchers, and develops both a general model and a local government model of vouchers. It also reviews arguments for and against vouchers, considers the characteristics and dimensions of vouchers and identifies the rights and responsibilities attached to their use. Based on this comprehensive analysis, it develops a new definition of public service vouchers incorporating exit and voice. The analysis also provides a schema that can be used to design, modify and evaluate individual voucher systems.

PurposeThe study examines how introducing joint municipal arm's length bodies (ALBs) into municipal waste management has influenced the preconditions of democratic governance.Design/methodology/approachThe authors describe and explain the democratic implications of joint municipal agencification by reviewing the perspectives of representative and participative democracy. Through this approach, the authors apply the exit–voice framework developed by Albert Hirschman to highlight the potential roles and rights of citizens. This research includes country case studies of Finland and Norway. The authors analyse and systematize Finnish and Norwegian waste and organizational policies by reviewing national regulatory documents, commentaries and guidance materials to identify the fundamental missions and institutional traditions of the alternative organizational forms of joint ALBs.FindingsThe study findings highlight that joint agencification has an adverse effect on the democratic governance of waste management policy and services even though these are public monopoly services. They also demonstrate that all joint municipal ALBs limit the classic elements of representative democracy in general, and that private-law ALBs limit residents' rights to influence and participate.Originality/valueThis study contributes to local public management studies by applying Hirschman's theory to comparative reviews of joint agencification and ALBs. It revealed the similarities and differences between the different organizational forms of joint ALBs applied in Finland and Norway. It also demonstrated how the democratic rights of residents depend on how municipalities collaborate.

Purpose: The study examines how introducing joint municipal arm's length bodies (ALBs) into municipal waste management has influenced the preconditions of democratic governance. Design/methodology/approach: The authors describe and explain the democratic implications of joint municipal agencification by reviewing the perspectives of representative and participative democracy. Through this approach, the authors apply the exit–voice framework developed by Albert Hirschman to highlight the potential roles and rights of citizens. This research includes country case studies of Finland and Norway. The authors analyse and systematize Finnish and Norwegian waste and organizational policies by reviewing national regulatory documents, commentaries and guidance materials to identify the fundamental missions and institutional traditions of the alternative organizational forms of joint ALBs. Findings: The study findings highlight that joint agencification has an adverse effect on the democratic governance of waste management policy and services even though these are public monopoly services. They also demonstrate that all joint municipal ALBs limit the classic elements of representative democracy in general, and that private-law ALBs limit residents' rights to influence and participate. Originality/value: This study contributes to local public management studies by applying Hirschman's theory to comparative reviews of joint agencification and ALBs. It revealed the similarities and differences between the different organizational forms of joint ALBs applied in Finland and Norway. It also demonstrated how the democratic rights of residents depend on how municipalities collaborate. ; publishedVersion ; Peer reviewed

The research explains the background of an alliance model which is a new collaborative project concept in urban infrastructure investments and reviews stakeholder views of applied alliances based on a case study analys­ing project experiences in the city of Tampere, Finland. The alliance model is considered a potential solution for some of the chronic productivity and other problems of the building industry and the classic difficulties in public-sector investment projects, but the model fits a purpose primarily only in publicly funded, technically challenging and sufficiently large projects. The alliance model has initiation, development and implementation phases, and of these phases, the interviewed experts named the development phases as particularly critical, as team spirit, shared ethos, and joint goals must all be built in that phase before the actual collaboration between contract parties can be initiated.

This study reviews the evolving role and state of risk management in Scottish charities between 2009 and 2018, with a specific focus on charities engaging in public service partnerships. It draws on data from questionnaires, interviews and charity documents. It identifies how risk management activities are organised in the Scottish charity sector in general. It also identifies how charities deal with risk in partnerships. The findings suggest that most risk management activities are implicit and sporadic, with some Scottish charities engaging in more formal practices, although none of the risk management activities extend to partnership working and reporting on risk management practices is also limited.

This paper analyses the risk management challenges of shared service provision in Scotland and Finland. Policy context and institutional frameworks largely determine the local choice of organizational arrangements and so the risks that arise and the way they are shared. Finnish municipalities have developed joint municipal arrangements for sharing services, whereas Scotland's shared service challenges are related to the historical separation of health and social care services and the search for cost savings while improving service effectiveness.