Nordisk Administrativt Tidsskrift

Strategic Planning within Ministries in Iceland: Lessons and Development

2024-06-26T14:01:58+02:00

Following the 2008 financial crisis, an extensive examination of Icelandic public administration, its policies, procedures, and practices was undertaken. This era spawned various programs, including an assessment of strategic plans issued by the Government Offices (ministries in Iceland). The purpose was to identify strengths and weaknesses within the strategic planning process, leading to the development of a strategic planning manual and efforts to enhance collaboration between ministries through the establishment of a policy council. More than a decade has passed since the comprehensive study of 11 strategies was published in the Icelandic Review of Politics and Administration. This article aims to take stock of progress within the Government Offices by reviewing 11 updated versions of the 2012 strategies, applying the same analytical framework used in 2012. Additionally, 22 new strategies and plans are analyzed for the first time, with the results compared to the updated versions of the original 11 strategies. The analysis highlights that the administration excels in the formulation stage, encompassing preparation, analysis, and goal setting. Moreover, there is an augmented presence of action plans across more strategies, and ministries seem more focused on ensuring compatibility and coordination among them. However, a persistent weakness is observed in the limited connection between actions and the allocation of funds, as well as evaluations of strategies.

Gränsöverskridande verksamhet i Tornedalen: från pragmatism till juridifiering?

2024-02-23T14:19:47+01:00

Denna artikel undersöker vad den så kallade juridifieringen har inneburit för den gränsöverskridande verksamheten mellan Finland och Sverige i Tornedalen. Frågan betraktas utifrån två regleringsprocesser som ägde rum kring millennieskiftet: inrättandet av ett gemensamt kommunalt offentligrättsligt organ och ersättandet av 1971 års gränsälvsöverenskommelse med en ny överenskommelse mellan länderna i Tornedalen. I studien används en metod som kan kallas historieorienterad systematisering och kontextualisering. Det betyder att studien eftersträvar att systematisera regleringen och det material som användes i förberedningen av regleringen, samt att kontextualisera regleringen, dvs. att placera den i sitt historiska sammanhang. Efter kalla krigets slut fanns åtminstone i väst en tro på att statsgränser skulle bli allt mindre viktigare och att vi var på väg mot en post-nationell era. Det diskuterades även mycket om möjligheterna att förverkliga idén om det så kallade "Regionernas Europa". I studien framkom att de då rådande juridiska uppfattningarna snarare underströk betydelsen av gränsen och försvårade utvecklandet av den gränsöverskridande verksamheten i Tornedalen. I slutet av artikeln diskuteras huruvida det redan har skett en viss övergång från millennieskiftets juridifiering mot någon slags ny-pragmatism, som kanske allt mer än tidigare influeras av de förändrade politiska realiteterna.

Nordic rural policies for future service needs

2024-06-26T14:01:54+02:00

The demand for services in Nordic rural areas is changing. General population decrease poses challenges to rural public authorities to adapt their activities to the shrinking population, which in general is made up of fewer young people and more older people. Combined with a need to adapt the services to a changing climate, the increased budget restraints force the public authorities to focus on providing the most essential service needs now and in the future. The aim of this study is to identify the future service needs in rural areas, and how these are included in rural policy frameworks. The approach was to identify which rural services that are considered essential according to research literature, and to search for these in rural and regional policy in the Nordic countries of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, as well as the island regions of Faroese Islands, Greenland and Åland. The study has identified policy improvements to ensure access to essential services in rural areas, and to ‘future proof’ service provision. For the countries and regions here studied, especially emergency services and civil defence, as well as climate adaptation of services and the management of climate impacts, need further attention.

Grønlands Selvstyre versus Greenland Minerals

2024-06-26T14:01:51+02:00

Mineraler og energi har i mange år været en vigtig del af den grønlandske politik ud fra et stærkt ønske om at blive økonomisk uafhængig af Danmark. Selvom der i perioder har været store indtægter til det grønlandske samfund, er der i disse år et relativt lavt aktivitetsniveau og en faldende interesse fra investorer. Omend der globalt er mange årsager til variationer i ressource investeringer, synes faldet paradoksalt nok at være betinget af en række politiske beslutninger og administrative procedurer i Grønland. Blandt hovedproblemerne er en langvarig politisk uenighed blandt de regeringsbærende partier om uran. Baggrunden herfor såvel det indledende forløb af den verserende voldgiftssag og kommende retssag mellem Selvstyret og licenshaver på Kvanefjeld projektet gennemgås. Sagen kan ende med at blive meget langvarig gennem flere retsinstanser og få stor betydning for Grønlands økonomi og videre efterforskning og udnyttelse af ressourcer.