Study title

Rural Finland 2011: Rural Development Specialists

Alternative Title

Landmarks Barometer 2011: Rural Development Specialists

Dataset ID Number

FSD2699

Persistent identifiers

https://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:fsd:T-FSD2699
https://doi.org/10.60686/t-fsd2699

Data Type

Quantitative

Authors

• Hellström, Eeva (Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra. Landmarks Programme)
• Hirvola, Päivi (Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra. Landmarks Programme)
• Pesola, Inkeri (MTT Agrifood Research Finland)
• Rantamäki-Lahtinen, Leena (MTT Agrifood Research Finland)
• Vesala, Kari (University of Helsinki)
• Vihinen, Hilkka (MTT Agrifood Research Finland)

Other Identification/Acknowledgements

• Aho, Pauliina (Taloustutkimus)

Abstract

The survey studied public opinion and experiences of the countryside in Finland and beliefs about the significance, development and future of rural areas. The barometer was developed for the Landmarks Programme carried out by the Finnish Innovation Fund (Sitra) to provide the programme with the latest information on the relationship of Finns to the countryside. This stage of the study surveyed the perceptions of rural development specialists.

First, the respondents were asked to what extent they connected certain qualities and issues to countryside and to urban areas (e.g. burden on the public economy, environmental-friendly way of life, freedom, social exclusion, good life, authenticity). Images of the countryside were charted by asking what kinds of places corresponded to their view of the countryside and which areas they saw as part of the countryside (e.g. holiday villages in rural areas, rural population centres, nature areas, rural areas dominated by agricultural areas). The experience of urban/rural identity was examined with questions on whether they thought themselves as city or rural residents and the importance of this identity to themselves and Finns in general. The respondents were asked in what kind of a neighbourhood their homes, holiday homes and workplaces were located and in what kind of a neighbourhood they preferred to live.

The respondents were also asked about their habits of spending time in different neighbourhoods during their working time, weekends and holidays. Views were probed on the intentions to move to a more urban or rural setting within the following ten years. Reasons for the importance of different places (e.g. friends in other regions, spending holidays) were studied.

The respondents were presented with a number of statements relating to the countryside, its image and future development and significance. Some questions covered what the respondents would like the countryside to be like in 2025, what countryside meant to them at the time of the survey and what they believed it would mean to them in ten years' time. Further questions explored the respondents' beliefs about whether the significance of rural areas would grow or diminish in Finland.

Some questions investigated what kind of business ventures they thought could have potential in the countryside (e.g. logistics services, organic production, renewable energy production), and to what extent they agreed with a number of statements related to entrepreneurship both in general and in the countryside.

Background variables included the respondent's year of birth, gender, education, political party choice if parliamentary elections were held at that time, economic activity and occupational status, annual gross income of household, job title and region of residence.

Keywords

countryside; rural areas; rural economics; rural environment; rural migration; rural planning; rural policy

Topic Classification

• Social sciences (Fields of Science Classification)
• Agriculture and forestry (Fields of Science Classification)
• Agriculture and rural industry (CESSDA Topic Classification)
• Housing (CESSDA Topic Classification)

Series

Rural Finland

Distributor

Finnish Social Science Data Archive

Access

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

Data Collector

• Taloustutkimus

Data Producers

• Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra. Landmarks Programme

Time Period Covered

2011

Collection Dates

2011-02-17 – 2011-03-08

Nation

Finland

Geographical Coverage

Finland

Analysis/Observation Unit Type

Individual

Universe

Rural Policy Committee (YTR), local action groups, expert register of the Rural Network of Finland, professors of rural studies, the Rural Network Unit, the Agency for Rural Affairs (Mavi) and local community representatives/ombudsmen in Finland (excluding the Åland Islands)

Time Method

Longitudinal: Trend/Repeated cross-section

Sampling Procedure

Non-probability: Purposive

MTT Economic Research compiled a register comprising the Rural Policy Committee (YTR), local action groups, expert register of the Rural Network of Finland, professors of rural studies, the Rural Network Unit, the Agency for Rural Affairs (Mavi) and local community representatives/ombudsmen in Finland.

Collection Mode

Self-administered questionnaire: Web-based (CAWI)

Research Instrument

Structured questionnaire

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: English and Finnish.

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

Number of Cases and Variables

300 variables and 252 cases.

Data Version

2.0

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

Hellström, Eeva (Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra) & Hirvola, Päivi (Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra) & Pesola, Inkeri (MTT Agrifood Research Finland) & Rantamäki-Lahtinen, Leena (MTT Agrifood Research Finland) & Vesala, Kari (University of Helsinki) & Vihinen, Hilkka (MTT Agrifood Research Finland): Rural Finland 2011: Rural Development Specialists [dataset]. Version 2.0 (2018-07-26). Finnish Social Science Data Archive [distributor]. https://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:fsd:T-FSD2699

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 Materials

Hellström, Eeva (2011). Maamerkit-barometri 2011: tulokset [verkkodokumentti]. Helsinki: Suomen itsenäisyyden juhlarahasto Sitra. Saatavissa: http://www.sitra.fi/NR/rdonlyres/FDDDD3F3-07CB-4135-A44C-33E1C798E402/0/Maamerkitbarometri_2011_tulokset.pdf [viitattu 03.05.2012].

Related Publications

Nieminen-Sundell, Riitta (2011) Maisema on, työ puuttuu. Helsinki: Suomen itsenäisyyden juhlarahasto Sitra.

Maamerkit-barometri 2011. Tulokset (2011) [verkkodokumentti]. Helsinki: Suomen itsenäisyyden juhlarahasto Sitra. https://www.sitra.fi/NR/rdonlyres/E6784065-E351-4536-B1F7-9741865C83B3/0/Maamerkitbarometri_2011_tulokset.pdf [viitattu 7.10.2016]