New shared governance – state steering in the 2020s

State control systems are constantly changing and in Finland no comprehensive review of the current state of state control and the challenges associated with the changing ways in which society and administration operate has been conducted for some time. Instead of individual and clearly defined issues, guidance deals with cross-sectoral phenomena. Systemic change cannot be achieved through sector-based approaches or traditional regulatory and resource management. Taking over and guiding intertwined and complex policy issues requires an holistic approach, as well as a variety of methods and policy tools. The research produced information and engages in a conceptual and open dialogue to support the Finnish policy debate. The aim of the study was to describe the basic characteristics of governance and policy objectives in different sectors and how they are affected by a supranational regulatory framework. The project provided an overall picture of the development and current state of governmental guidance in Finland in its social context, on the basis of a literature review, workshops and case studies.