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Heikki Mansikka-aho: Evaluating the attainment of state structural programme goals in the context of administrative reforms

Tampere University
LocationRemote connection and Pinni A building Paavo Koli auditorium, address: Kanslerinrinne 1
8.10.2021 9.00–13.00
LanguageFinnish
Entrance feeFree of charge
Heikki Mansikka-aho
Licentiate of Administrative Sciences Heikki Mansikka-aho studies in his doctoral dissertation the implementation of administrative reforms at the Police of Finland from the perspective of the goals of Finland’s State Productivity Programme as well as the Effectiveness and Productivity Programme which followed it.

In recent public debate structural reforms have been regarded as key actions in dealing with the productivity gap. It has been assumed that reforms will bring about an increase in public sector productivity and effectiveness. In this study the implementation of administrative reforms at the Police of Finland is examined from the perspective of the goals of Finland’s State Productivity Programme as well as the Effectiveness and Productivity Programme which followed it. The study examines the steering effect and significance of administrative paradigms in the implementation of structural reforms. Administrative paradigms encapsulate the steering ideologies of each particular era.

At the Police Administration there have been four attempts over the last twenty years to improve productivity and service ability by streamlining administration, focusing resources and increasing the size of police regions. Little by little the number of police regions has been reduced from 249 precincts to the current eleven police departments.

The study ascertains the experiences of police personnel particularly in regard to the most recent PORA III change in organisational and management structures and assesses the realisation of the objectives of structural programmes in the new operating environment.

A survey conducted in 2015 at the PORA III -stage involving police personnel in the Eastern Finland, Ostrobothnia and Central Finland Police Departments was used as the main research material. A survey conducted in 2009 at the PORA I -stage served as the reference material.

The research results are compared to the results of the Police Personnel Survey conducted in 2008, 2010, 2012 and 2015 and an assessment made of the citizen’s perspective over ten separate years on the basis of trends in the Police Personnel Survey. Results from these personnel surveys and survey responses are compared to trends in Police of Finland’s functional statistics. The study examines the actual effects of the centralisation of operations and increase in the regional size of the organisation on the efficiency, resources and placement of police activities.

In assessing the results, the realistic evaluation method developed by Pawson and Tilley was employed. The method relies on a CMO (Context, Mechanism and Outcome) framework. In addition, an attempt is made to assess the impact of changes in the service network on service ability, productivity and effectiveness as well as on personnel achievement ability. These dimensions are examined more closely using the Balanced Scorecard (BSC), strategic management performance metric developed by Kaplan and Norton.

Among other things the study highlights how important management of an organisation’s achievement ability is in attaining the goals of customer care and economy perspectives.

The doctoral dissertation of Licentiate of Administrative Sciences Heikki Mansikka-aho in the field of administrative science titled Poliisi, mistä tulet, minne menet? Valtionhallinnon rakenneohjelmien tavoitteiden toteutumisen arviointi poliisin hallintorakenneuudistuksissa will be publicly examined at the Faculty of Management and Business of Tampere University at 12 o'clock on Friday 8 October, 2021. The venue is Pinni A building Paavo Koli audtorium, address: Kanslerinrinne 1. Professor Sanna Laulainen from University of Eastern Finland will be the opponent while Professor Jari Stenvall will act as the custos.

The event can be followed via remote connection 

The dissertation is available online at
http://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-03-2089-8


Photo: Saara Mansikka-aho