Study title

Finnish Local Government 2004: Municipalities as Working Communities 1999

Dataset ID Number

FSD1230

Persistent identifier

urn:nbn:fi:fsd:T-FSD1230

Data Type

Quantitative

Authors

• Nakari, Risto (University of Tampere. Work Research Centre (WRC))

Abstract

A self-reported survey of working conditions, job satisfaction, workplace relations and services in Finnish municipalities. Respondents were asked to what extent they agreed with statements relating to municipal services: importance of municipal services to citizen equality, their effectiveness compared to private services, the management, competitive tendering and privatization of public services etc. Degree of stress in respondents' job, changes in working pace, work load, wage level, nature of the job and career prospects were charted. Respondents were asked about job independence, degree of information on planned or decided changes in the work, support from the management or fellow employees. Attitudes towards client feedback and demands were investigated.

The survey carried a set of statements relating to the respondent's working community and workplace relations. Workplace conflicts and the ways of dealing with them, relations with the superiors and the characteristics and methods of the managers were examined. Some questions pertained to productivity, work motivation and methods for improving motivation. Competence and skills required by the respondent's job and job-related training were charted.

Respondents evaluated the managers of their own sector with the help of paired concepts (for example enterprising vs. obstructing, co-operative vs. creates conflicts), rated the significance of certain factors causing productivity problems in their community and evaluated how good or bad the services of different sectors were in their own municipality. One question covered which issues should be included in the local bargaining between the municipality and trade unions.

Background variables included the municipality where the respondent works, the respondent's workplace, job title, sex, year of birth, trade union membership, type of contract and whether the respondent held a managerial or supervisory position.

Keywords

employees; job satisfaction; labour relations; managers; municipal officials; municipalities; productivity; public services; work motivation; working communities; working conditions; workplace relations

Topic Classification

• Social sciences (Fields of Science Classification)
• Working conditions (CESSDA Topic Classification)

Series

Finnish Local Government 2004

Distributor

Finnish Social Science Data Archive

Access

The dataset is (B) available for research, teaching and study.

Data Collector

• Nakari, Risto (University of Tampere. Work Research Centre)

Time Period Covered

1999

Collection Dates

1999-04-15 – 1999-09-15

Nation

Finland

Geographical Coverage

Finland, Espoo, Haukipudas, Humppila, Hämeenlinna, Iitti, Jaala, Joroinen, Kaarina, Karstula, Kemiö, Kerava, Kiikala, Kokkola, Kolari, Kotka, Kristiinankaupunki, Kuhmoinen, Lappeenranta, Leppävirta, Lieksa, Liljendal, Lumijoki, Mikkeli, Multia, Naantali, Noormarkku, Närpiö, Oulainen, Outokumpu, Padasjoki, Pieksämäki, Rural Municipality of Porvoo, Pudasjärvi, Punkaharju, Pyhäntä, Pylkönmäki, Ranua, Rääkkylä, Sonkajärvi, Suolahti, Tyrnävä, Vaasa, Vahto, Varkaus, Vehkalahti, Vimpeli, Virrat

Analysis/Observation Unit Type

Individual

Universe

Members of the municipal working communities included in the sample.

Time Method

Longitudinal: Trend/Repeated cross-section

Sampling Procedure

Mixed probability and non-probability

Two-stage stratified sampling in selecting project municipalities. Total study of the working communities, selected with judgement sampling.

The project municipalities were selected separately from those with less than 10000 inhabitants (28 municipalities) and from those with more than 10000 inhabitants (19 municipalities). The selection aimed to be representative within both groups of all municipalities with the same population size. Large municipalities were overly represented because 70 % of the Finnish population lives in large municipalities. Representativeness criteria included regional location, age and education of the population, industry structure, municipal economy parameters, political situation and variables related to municipal policy. The target group municipalities form a small scale model of all Finnish municipalities. The Åland Islands municipalities were excluded because of special features due to their autonomy.

The data consist of 411 work communities in 47 municipalities. The working communities were originally selected for the 1995 survey. In each municipality, a sample of similar working communities representing the sector's core activities was selected. Following the principles of panel surveys the questionnaire was sent to all members of the selected communities. Because of organisational changes 18 work communities included in the 1995 sample were excluded in 1999.

Collection Mode

Self-administered questionnaire: Paper

Research Instrument

Structured questionnaire

Response Rate

61

Data File Language

Downloaded data package may contain different language versions of the same files.

The data files of this dataset are available in the following languages: Finnish.

FSD translates quantitative data into English on request, free of charge. More information on ordering data translation.

Data Version

1.3

Related Datasets

FSD1193 Finnish Local Government 2004: Municipalities as Working Communities 1995

FSD1315 Finnish Local Government 2004: Municipalities as Working Communities 2003

Completeness of Data and Restrictions

The health services sector was over-represented and the social services sector under-represented compared to the actual personnel numbers in Finnish municipalities. Men and persons with temporary contracts were under-represented. The categories 207 and 209 of the variable k1 have been removed from the data, however the categories appeared on the questionnaire by mistake, resulting in a few responses.

The variable connected to the question number 2 is missing from the data.

Weighting

There are no weight variables in the data.

Citation Requirement

The data and its creators shall be cited in all publications and presentations for which the data have been used. The bibliographic citation may be in the form suggested by the archive or in the form required by the publication.

Bibliographical Citation

Nakari, Risto (University of Tampere): Finnish Local Government 2004: Municipalities as Working Communities 1999 [dataset]. Version 1.3 (2003-11-25). Finnish Social Science Data Archive [distributor]. https://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:fsd:T-FSD1230

Deposit Requirement

Notify FSD of all publications where you have used the data by sending the citation information to user-services.fsd@tuni.fi.

Disclaimer

The original data creators and the archive bear no responsibility for any results or interpretations arising from the reuse of the data.

Related Publications

Nakari, Risto (2000). Muuttuuko työelämä - ja mihin suuntaan? Helsinki: Suomen Kuntaliitto. KuntaSuomi 2004 -tutkimuksia; 23 & Acta; 126.

Nakari, Risto (2004). Kuntien erilaistuva työelämä. Tutkimus kunnallisista työyhteisöistä 1995 - 2003. Helsinki: Kuntaliitto. KuntaSuomi 2004 -tutkimuksia; 50 & Acta; 170.

Nakari, Risto (2009). Toimiva kunnallinen palveluorganisaatio. Työelämän laadun, asiakastyytyväisyyden ja palvelukustannusten väliset yhteydet strategisen henkilöstöjohtamisen näkökulmasta. Helsinki: Kuntaliitto. Acta; 209.