Finnish Local Government Barometer 1999: Municipal Personnel

Municipal personnel were asked what kind of characteristics, qualities, and skills would be important for future municipal managers. The respondents also assessed the characteristics and leadership qualities of the manager of their own municipality. Opinions on how well their municipality's management system worked (relations between municipal authorities and elected officials, citizen participation, etc.) were charted. Views on who has real influence and power in municipal decision-making were probed. The respondents were asked what kind of municipal leadership system they would prefer (e.g. municipal manager versus mayor) and what might be the consequences of introducing mayors. They also evaluated how well the municipality had succeeded in the management of certain sectors like health services, municipal finances, employment, or industrial development. Some questions covered decision-making, co-operation, and the successfulness of human resources management. Background variables included the respondents' sex, membership in a non-governmental organization, membership in a trade union, party allegiance, municipality size, and region.