Financial management of public organizations (5 cr)

Evaluation scale

0-5

Objective

Purpose of the course
Public organizations (i.e., the state and the organizations within state administration, wellbeing services counties, municipalities, and joint municipal authorities) have a significant societal, national economic and economic importance. In this course you have a possibility to study the management of the activities and the economy of public organizations.

Competences
Learning to learn
Operating in a workplace
Ethics
Proactive development

Learning outcomes
After completing this course you will understand how the activities and the economy of public organizations are managed. You identify different decision-making situations and the special characteristics of financial management in public organizations. You evaluate the performance of public organizations by using different measures and ratios.

Content

Norm control, the planning, monitoring, reporting, and evaluation in public organizations

Materials

Johanson, J-E., Liljeroos-Cork, J., Stenvall, J., Pekkola, E. & Rossi, P. (2022). Julkisen toiminnan luonne ja sen uudistamisen tavat. Teoksessa H. Kalliomäki, I. Karppi & N. Mäntylä (toim.), Julkinen toiminta murroksessa (s. 34-48) Vaasa: Vaasan yliopiston raportteja 32.
Vakkuri, J., Oulasvirta, L., Koponen, H., Vinnari, E. & Sinervo, L-M. (2022). Talouden hallinta ja johtaminen julkisessa toiminnassa. Teoksessa H. Kalliomäki, I. Karppi & N. Mäntylä (toim.), Julkinen toiminta murroksessa (s. 65-79) Vaasa: Vaasan yliopiston raportteja 32.
Oulasvirta, L. O. (2014). Governmental Financial Accounting and European Harmonisation: Case Study of Finland. Accounting, economics, and law 4, 3, 237-263.
Central Government Accounting Manual (only in Finnish)
Videos of Eduhouse
Budgets and annual reports of the Republic of Finland, wellbeing services counties and municipalities
Web pages of the Ministry of Finance, the State Treasury and the Association of Finnish Cities and Municipalities

Teaching methods

Introductory webinars on the topics of the course, independent learning assignments.

Guidance:
Mandatory opening webinar in Zoom
Guidance tools of web learning environment (Moodle, Team, Zoom)

Exam schedules

There are no exams in the course.

Completion alternatives

A corresponding course completed in another university may be accredited partially or completely. Competence acquired through informal learning may be recognized and accredited on the basis of competence test. More precise instructions can be found in Degree Regulations and in Study Guide.

Student workload

Webinars 8 h, independent study and learning assignments 127 h

Assessment criteria, satisfactory (1)

Adequate 1
You differentiate between and classify key concepts. You understand the theory and methods of the subject area and describe the things with reference to them. You discuss the subject from different perspectives. You present principal results. You evaluate your competence and recognize your principal development target. You report illustratively, but the report contains certain illogicalities and shortcomings. You write unstructured text with numerous different repeated language and style errors. You follow JAMK’s reporting instructions insufficiently.

Satisfactory 2
You apply the theory of the subject area that is delineated from the point of view of your topic. You select and define the key concepts. You illustrate the results with examples. The examples exhibit understanding and independent thinking that is connected to theory. You evaluate your own competence with the help of examples. You report in a logical and illustrative manner, but the report exhibits certain shortcomings. You write text that is partly unstructured and exhibits many different language and style errors. You follow JAMK’s reporting instructions insufficiently.

Assessment criteria, good (3)

Good 3
You analyze essential and well-delineated theory and concepts of the subject area and justify their choice. You demonstrate an ability to follow and analyze the development and/or research in the field of expertise. You combine theory and practice. You evaluate and substantiate your own competence and are capable of developing it. You report in a logical and illustrative manner, substantiating the points you make. You write structured text with occasional language and style errors. You follow JAMK’s reporting instructions.

Very good 4
You outline a coherent whole of the key theory and concepts of the subject area, which you reflect upon critically. You assess, follow, and discuss the development of, and international research in the field of expertise. You combine theory and practice in a clear and well justified manner. You reflect your competence and development. You report in a logical, analytical and competent manner. You write structured text in a fluent and almost error-free formal style. You follow JAMK’s reporting instructions.

Assessment criteria, excellent (5)

You produce new perspectives or knowledge on the subject area. You assess and interpret critically the development of the subject area by also making reference to international research knowledge. You combine theory and practice creatively and in a clear and well justified manner. You reflect upon the topic also at the societal level. You define the key concepts related to the special competence of the field correctly and in relation to one other. You assess the development of your competence critically, comprehensively and in a diverse way, substantiating your arguments. You produce convincing content, presenting a logically coherent whole in which you demonstrate critical thinking and combine things in a new way. Your communications are argumentative and insightful and comply with an error-free formal style. You follow JAMK’s reporting instructions.

Qualifications

Bachelor's degree

Further information

The assessment in the course is based on the competence demonstrated in learning assignments which are done individually, in pairs or in groups (100 %, 5 ECTS credits). Learning assignments may be quizzes, summaries, essays and/or analyses that are related with the topics of the course.

Students' attendance and activity will be checked three weeks after the start of the implementation. The first learning assignment of the course is scheduled in such a way that the student must return it within the first three weeks. If the student does not make this return, his/her enrollment for the course will be rejected.