Study title

Politics of Competitive Tendering in Local Government 2008

Dataset ID Number

FSD2460

Persistent identifier

urn:nbn:fi:fsd:T-FSD2460

Data Type

Quantitative

Authors

• Fredriksson, Sami (University of Helsinki. Department of Economics and Political Studies)
• Hyvärinen, Olli (University of Helsinki. Department of Economics and Political Studies)
• Mattila, Mikko (University of Helsinki. Department of Economics and Political Studies)
• Wass, Hanna (University of Helsinki. Department of Economics and Political Studies)

Other Identification/Acknowledgements

• Martikainen, Tuomo (University of Helsinki)

Abstract

The survey charted local government decision-makers' views on the competitive tendering of social and health care services in ten Finnish municipalities. The respondents in the target municipalities included local councillors and deputy local councillors, members and deputy members of the local government, and members and deputy members of the Board of Social Affairs and Health.

Background variables related to elected office, such as the respondents' status in the municipal organisation, their political party preference, and how long the respondents had held the elected office, were charted first. Next, the respondents were asked on what basis the solutions related to service provision were made, and what the objectives of these solutions were. Further questions charted for example how much municipal decision-makers discussed outsourcing social and health care services to private service providers, and how often the respondents used various sources of information in the different stages of decision-making. The respondents were also presented with a set of attitudinal statements on private service provision and they were asked to indicate the most important reasons for outsourcing services to private service providers. In addition, they were asked how the municipality argued for providing municipal services, with whom they communicated during the decision-making process related to the provision of social and health care services, and how outsourcing social and health care services to external service providers has influenced the status of various actors. The respondents also assessed the functionality of various social and health care services during the election period and indicated which parts of external service provision should be increased or decreased.

Next, the respondents evaluated the most important bodies in making decisions on competitive tendering, how their status had changed as a result of tendering, which criteria had been employed in selecting the private service providers, and which criteria should be used in selecting them. Attitudes related to service provision were canvassed by asking whether citizens should be able to freely choose whether to use services funded by taxpayers' money or subsidised private services, and the importance of freedom of choice in different services. In addition, the respondents gave their opinions on statements related to increasing the freedom of choice in various matters and organising public services.

Background variables included the respondent's gender, year of birth, mother tongue, economic activity and occupational status, education, employment status, sector of employment (public or private), trade union membership, and self-placement on the left-right scale.

The research project was part of the Municipalities and Competition (Kunnat ja kilpailu) entity of the Foundation for Municipal Development (Kunnallisalan kehittämissäätiö, KAKS).

Keywords

attitudes; competitive tendering; decision making; economic competition; health services; municipalities; politics; private sector; privatization; public sector; social services

Topic Classification

• Social sciences (Fields of Science Classification)
• Specific social services: use and availability (CESSDA Topic Classification)
• Social welfare systems/structures (CESSDA Topic Classification)
• Government, political systems and organisations (CESSDA Topic Classification)

Series

Individual datasets

Distributor

Finnish Social Science Data Archive

Access

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

Data Collector

• Fredriksson, Sami (University of Helsinki. Department of Economics and Political Studies)
• Hyvärinen, Olli (University of Helsinki. Department of Economics and Political Studies)
• Mattila, Mikko (University of Helsinki. Department of Economics and Political Studies)
• Wass, Hanna (University of Helsinki. Department of Economics and Political Studies)

Data Producers

• University of Helsinki. Department of Economics and Political Studies
• Foundation for Municipal Development

Time Period Covered

2008

Collection Dates

2008

Nation

Finland

Geographical Coverage

Finland

Analysis/Observation Unit Type

Individual

Political-administrative area (Municipality)

Universe

Municipal elected officials

Time Method

Cross-section

Sampling Procedure

Non-probability: Purposive

The survey was targeted at ten municipalities (Heinola, Jalasjärvi, Kemi, Kerava, Lahti, Mäntyharju, Pielavesi, Pori, Raisio, and Vantaa). The municipalities were selected so that they would represent the whole Finland as well as possible. The respondents were recruited in spring 2008. The questionnaire was sent to 892 elected officials. After the first data collection round, non-respondents were sent a reminder letter together with a new questionnaire. Finally, the councillors, members of the local government and members of the local government board who had not responded were sent yet another questionnaire. Altogether 363 elected officials responded.

Collection Mode

Self-administered questionnaire: Paper

Research Instrument

Structured questionnaire

Response Rate

41

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

3.0

Completeness of Data and Restrictions

Rather many respondents have not followed the questionnaire instructions when responding to the questions B6.2, B7, C3.1 and C3.2. These responses have nevertheless been left in the data. Because of the variation in the responses given to these questions, their utility is very limited.

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

Fredriksson, Sami (University of Helsinki) & Hyvärinen, Olli (University of Helsinki) & Mattila, Mikko (University of Helsinki) & Wass, Hanna (University of Helsinki): Politics of Competitive Tendering in Local Government 2008 [dataset]. Version 3.0 (2018-07-18). Finnish Social Science Data Archive [distributor]. https://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:fsd:T-FSD2460

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

Fredriksson, Sami; Hyvärinen, Olli; Mattila, Mikko; Wass, Hanna (2009): Kilpailuttaminen poliittisena päätöksenä. Kuntapäättäjien näkemyksiä sosiaali- ja terveyspalvelujen hankinnasta yksityisen sektorin tuottajilta. Sastamala: Kunnallisalan kehittämissäätiö. Kunnallisalan kehittämissäätiön Kunnat ja kilpailu -sarjan julkaisu nro 14. Saatavilla www-muodossa: http://www.kaks.fi/sites/default/files/Kunnat%20ja%20kilpailu%2014_0.pdf [viitattu 23.5.2013].

Fredriksson, Sami & Hyvärinen, Olli & Mattila, Mikko & Wass, Hanna (2010). The politics of competitive tendering. Political orientation and attitudes towards contracting out among Finnish local politicians. Local Government Studies 36(5), 637-654.

Santaharju, Jaana (2017) Kuntapäättäjien näkemykset kunnan ulkopuolisesta palvelutuotannosta. Tampere: Tampereen yliopisto. Kandidaatintutkielma.