The politics–administration dichotomy in support for national sport guidelines in local government : The views of Finnish municipal top decision-makers on child and youth physical activity guidelines

Abstract

While autonomous municipalities in western societies have become responsible for the implementation of national sport policy, the diversity of local decision-makers’ policy interests presents significant challenges. Building on an institutional approach based on Max Weber’s theory of bureaucracy, this problem is addressed by studying local political and administrative top decision-makers’ support of the Sports Act guidelines for child and youth sport in Finland. Utilising large survey data from 736 Finnish local top decision-makers, the analysis revealed attitudinal differences, especially between politicians and administrators, and thus a paradoxical situation in the implementation of these guidelines. This finding supports the view that the current debate on the realisation of sport policy in Finland’s autonomous local government system needs to consider differences in the views of different decision-making groups and their influence on local sport provision.