Helsinki (19.01.2008 - Juhani Artto) In recent years Finland has succeeded remarkably well in various international comparisons. Finland has belonged to the top scorers, for example, in competitiviness, in learning results of teenagers and in fighting corruption . Also the real incomes of wage and salary earners have, since mid 1990s, risen clearly stronger than in most other OECD countries.
Therefore it is no wonder that international media has, in the last few years, often referred to Finland in discussion on strenghts and weaknesses of various social models. This week offered new examples on such references.
On Tuesday 15 January 2008 EducationGuardian wrote: Many policy-makers assume that there is a trade-off between competitiveness and social cohesion, says Green. Education policy has often followed a similar model, where excellence and equity are seen as competing priorities. "The assumption that you cannot have competitiveness and social cohesion underlies a lot of the literature, but some countries - notably Finland, Denmark and Sweden - do not follow this." In the knowledge and lifelong learning economies, which depend on high skill levels spread across their populations, the either-or models are becoming redundant, according to Green and Unwin. Research in the US and in Europe now suggests that social cohesion and competitiveness are often positively related rather than mutually conflicting. Discussions focus on Scandinavian countries.(Can we have economic growth alongside social cohesion)
On the same day AFP transmitted to the global media a story on the discussion, in Denmark, on the Danish model. Also the writer of that story referred to Finland: While Denmark does spend more than other countries to retrain workers, Soelyst said that "if you look at things in the long-term it's not that expensive since we also have money coming in, notably from an increase in tax revenues." While Finland and the Netherlands have similar labour market models, opinions vary on whether the Danish system can be exported elsewhere in Europe. (Europe eyes Danish labour market model but criticism mounts at home)
On Thursday 17 January 2008 Reuters' writer analysed how Finland has managed in employing people who have lost their jobs, due to factory closures. A hot job market and strength in other exports has helped buffer Finland against the cuts, analysts say. "The economy is so strong now that there is demand for employees. In some regions there is a lack of workers," said Pasi Holm, managing director of Finnish research institute PTT. He added that new businesses had been established in Kuusankoski and that southeastern Finland was also benefiting from surging trans-border traffic to Russia. (Jobs arise from ashes of Finland forestry)
Read also:
- Growth policy in the era of globalisation, Prime Minister of Finland Matti Vanhanen in Seattle 17 January 2008