Authors

• Sotarauta, Markku (University of Tampere. School of Management)

Keywords

development policy, innovation, local government, local government organizations, local government policy

Abstract

The questionnaire survey studied whether Finnish municipalities (local government) had innovation systems that supported their development and regeneration. Municipality top management teams, and chairpersons of municipal councils or executives were selected as respondents. The study was conducted by the Research Unit for Urban and Regional Development Studies SENTE in the University of Tampere and was funded by the Foundation for Municipal Development.

Questions investigated what development targets the respondents considered important for the municipality, targets for personnel recruitment and management in terms of facilitating development, the sufficiency of resources compared to service needs, what factors motivated the development of operations and services, and what factors formed barriers to development. Further questions covered the existence of a research and development unit in the organisation, resources allocated to the development of services and staff training, and opinions on the best ways to use the resources. Sources of information for own work and importance of certain cooperation partners for development work were studied. The partners mentioned included service users, private service providers, other municipalities, ministries, universities, consultants etc.

Background variables included R's role in the municipality, sector, basic education, age group and gender.