FSD1357 Attitudes to Economy and Social Security 1994
shortcuts: data collection | citation | publicationsAlternative Title
International Survey of Economic Attitudes (ISEA) 1994
Authors
Ervasti, Heikki (University of Turku. Department of Social Policy)
Kangas, Olli (University of Turku. Department of Social Policy)
Other Identification/Acknowlegements
Kelley, Jonathan & Evans, M.D.R (International Survey Center)
Abstract
The survey studied Finnish economic policy, perceptions of the public and private sectors, working conditions, social class, and fairness of wages, income distribution and taxation. Respondents were asked to evaluate services and merchandise provided by the private sector and the public sector. Respondents compared the strengths and weaknesses of both sectors as employers and service providers. Opinions on the relations between the state and the economy were charted with a set of questions pertaining to production subsidies, import restrictions, import taxes, rates of duty, and government measures to support employment and production. Views on minimum wage, government ownership of industry, and the role of the state in different branches of industry were investigated. Further questions pertained to trade unions, employers, wage disputes (labour disputes), and collective agreements vs. local bargaining.
Respondents were asked what kind of a wage they thought certain occupational groups earned and how much they should earn. Views on income inequality and possible conflicts between social classes were probed. Respondents assessed Finland's social class structure, and evaluated the impact of post-war changes in the Finnish society.
One theme covered the respondent's economic activity. Employees were asked about their working hours, working weeks during the past 12 months, working experience on the whole, employer type, unemployment, occupation, occupational status, size of workforce, and employment sector (public/private). Self-employed and entrepreneurs were asked about the turnover and size of the business. Respondents were asked how easy it would be to find a similar job in private or public sector and which sector would they prefer. Willingness to start a business was charted.
Characteristics of the respondent's job (e.g. working conditions, job security, required skills and qualifications) were charted, likewise satisfaction with various aspects of the job. Respondents were asked whether they felt they earned a fair wage, taking into account demands of their job, amount of responsibility, education etc., and how much a fair wage would be. Views on what kind of wage people with certain education level should earn were surveyed.
Some questions covered ownership of consumer durables, shares, real estate and vehicles. Satisfaction with living standard, marriage, children and job, and general satisfaction with life were charted. Respondents indicated in which social stratum they feel they belong to.
Further topics included views on just taxation, actual taxation, and views on certain social security benefits. A number of questions pertained to pensions policy. Respondents were asked who should take care of elderly people and three-year-old children.
Background variables included respondent's gender, age, place of residence, basic and vocational education, marital status, household composition, perceived social class, political party preference and attitude to different political parties. Other background variables included father's occupation, employer, and supervisory status, and parents' education. Spouse's education, occupation, employment sector, and supervisory status were also included.
Keywords
economic policy; industrial disputes; pensions; private sector; public sector; social change; social inequality; social security benefits; social status; taxation; trade unions; wages; working time
Topic Classification
economics; social policy; sociology (FSD Topics Classification)
economics; labour and employment; social behaviour and attitudes; social welfare systems/structures (CESSDA Topics Classification)
Restrictions
Responses to questions 2111, 3044, 3072, 3084, 309, 3152, 3171-3175, 3181, 3182, 4092, 4093, 5021, 5022 (section concerning 14-year-olds), 5033, 508, 509, 5171-5178 are not included in the data. Variables connected to questions 3231, 3232, 3233, 3234, 504, 4055, 3042, 5032 and 5113 were removed because of ambiguities.
Access to the data granted for scientific and teaching purposes. FSD's access application procedure.
Data Collector
University of Turku. Department of Social Policy
Data Producer
University of Turku. Department of Social Policy
Collection Date
Autumn 1994
Nation
Finland
Geographical Coverage
Finland
Analysis Unit
Individual
Universe
People aged between 18 and 74 living in Finland (excluding Swedish-speaking Finns)
Sampling Procedure
Simple random sampling. Address information was obtained from Finland's population register.
Originally, 3119 questionnaires were sent. After four reminder letters, 1737 questionnaires were returned.
Collection Mode
Postal survey
Research Instrument
Structured questionnaire
Response Rate
56 %
Time Method
Cross-sectional study
Collection Size
Data: SPSS portable file. Data available also in other file formats.
Number of cases and variables
1737 cases and 363 variables
Data version
1.0 (8.10.2004)
Other Material
See downloadable files at the top of the page
Questionnaire: pdf file in Finnish
Citation Requirement
The source must be acknowledged in any publication based wholly or in part on the data.
Bibliographical Citation
Ervasti, Heikki & Kangas, Olli: Attitudes to Economy and Social Security 1994 [computer file]. FSD1357, version 1.0 (2004-10-08). Tampere: Finnish Social Science Data Archive [distributor], 2004.
Depositing Requirements
The archive must be informed of all publications where the data have been used.
Disclaimer
The depositor and the archive bear no responsibility for any results or interpretations arising from the secondary use of the data.
Related Publications
Ervasti, Heikki (1995). Bringing the Family Back in? Attitudes towards the role of the family in the care for the elderly and children. Yearbook of population research in Finland 32/1994-1995, 80-95. Helsinki: The Population Research Institute.
Ervasti, Heikki (1996). Bringing the Family Back in?: attitudes towards the role of the family in the care for the elderly and children. Teoksessa: Ervasti, Heikki: Kenen vastuu?: tutkimuksia hyvinvointipluralismista legitimeetin näkökulmasta, 118-148. Helsinki: Stakes. Sosiaali- ja terveysalan tutkimus- ja kehittämiskeskus, tutkimuksia; 62 & Turku: Turun yliopisto. Sosiaalipolitiikan väitöskirja.
Ervasti, Heikki (1996). Hyvinvointivaltion kriisi ja vaihtoehtoiset sosiaalipolitiikan toimintamallit. Teoksessa: Ervasti, Heikki: Kenen vastuu?: tutkimuksia hyvinvointipluralismista legitimeetin näkökulmasta, 1-65. Helsinki: Stakes. Sosiaali- ja terveysalan tutkimus- ja kehittämiskeskus, tutkimuksia; 62 & Turku: Turun yliopisto. Sosiaalipolitiikan väitöskirja.
Ervasti, Heikki (1996). Matkalla vapaaseen markkinatalouteen?: julkisen sektorin kokoa koskevat asenteet Puolassa ja Suomessa. Teoksessa: Ervasti, Heikki: Kenen vastuu?: tutkimuksia hyvinvointipluralismista legitimeetin näkökulmasta, 149-188. Helsinki: Stakes. Sosiaali- ja terveysalan tutkimus- ja kehittämiskeskus, tutkimuksia; 62 & Turku: Turun yliopisto. Sosiaalipolitiikan väitöskirja.
Evans, M. D. R & Kelley, Jonathan (2004). Subjective Social Location: Data From 21 Nations. International Journal of Public Opinion Research, 16(1), 3-38.
Forma, Pauli (1995). Hyvinvointimallien kannatus Suomessa: tutkimus sosiaalipoliittisten intressien välittymisestä. Turku: Turun yliopisto. Sosiaalipolitiikan pro gradu -tutkielma.
Forma, Pauli (1996). Agentit kansan asialla? Maanviljelijöiden, työntekijöiden ja yrittäjien etujen välittyminen poliittiseen päätöksentekoon. Politiikka 38(4), 201-217.
Forma, Pauli (1996). The politics of interest mediation: the case of universalistic social policy in Finland. Turku: Turun yliopisto. Turun yliopisto, sosiaalipolitiikan laitos. Sarja B; 7.
Forma, Pauli (1997). Citizens, elites and the welfare state: opinions on pension policy in Finland. Helsinki: Stakes. National Research and Developement Centre for Welfare and Health, Themes; 5/1997.
Forma, Pauli (1999). Do the agents work for the people?: the representation of class interests in the light of opinion data. Teoksessa: Forma, Pauli: Interests, institutions and the welfare state: studies on public opinion towards the welfare state, s. 100-118. Helsinki: Stakes National Research and Developement Centre for Welfare and Health, Research Report; 102 & Turku: Turun yliopisto. Sosiaalipolitiikan väitöskirja.
Forma, Pauli (1999). Eroding solidarity - growing polarisation?: welfare state opinions of the well-off and worse-off finns during the economic recession. Teoksessa: Forma, Pauli: Interests, institutions and the welfare state: studies on public opinion towards the welfare state, s. 81-99. Helsinki: Stakes National Research and Developement Centre for Welfare and Health, Research Report; 102 & Turku: Turun yliopisto. Sosiaalipolitiikan väitöskirja.
Forma, Pauli (1999). Interests, institutions and the welfare state. Teoksessa: Forma, Pauli: Interests, institutions and the welfare state: studies on public opinion towards the welfare state, s. 16-44. Helsinki: Stakes National Research and Developement Centre for Welfare and Health, Research Report; 102 & Turku: Turun yliopisto. Sosiaalipolitiikan väitöskirja.
Forma, Pauli (1999). Mureeneeko solidaarisuus, polarisoituuko yhteiskunta? Hyvä- ja huono-osaisten sosiaaliturvaa ja hyvinvointivaltiota koskevat mielipiteet 1990-luvun Suomessa. Yhteiskuntapolitiikka 64(1), 3-19.
Forma, Pauli (1999). Welfare state opinions among citizens, MP-candidates and elites: evidence from Finland. Teoksessa: Forma, Pauli: Interests, institutions and the welfare state: studies on public opinion towards the welfare state, s. 119-135. Helsinki: Stakes National Research and Developement Centre for Welfare and Health, Research Report; 102 & Turku: Turun yliopisto. Sosiaalipolitiikan väitöskirja.
Forma, Pauli (1999). Welfare state opinions among citizens, MP-candidates and elites: evidence from Finland. Teoksessa: The end of the welfare state?: responses to state retrenchment (eds. Stefan Svallfors & Peter Taylos-Gooby), s. 87-105. London: Routledge.
Forma, Pauli & Kangas, Olli (1999). Need, citizenship or merit: public opinion on pension in Australia, Finland and Poland. In: The end of the welfare state?: responses to state retrenchment (eds. Stefan Svallfors & Peter Taylos-Gooby), 161-189. London: Routledge.
Kangas, Olli (2000). The Grasshopper and the Ants: Popular Opinions of Just Distribution in Australia and Finland [verkkodokumentti]. SPRC Seminar Series, Session 1, 2000, Sydney, Australia. http://www.sprc.unsw.edu.au/seminars/kangas.pdf [viitattu 16.7.2004].
Peltonen, Hanna (2000). Työtyytyväisyys Suomessa ja Australiassa. Turku: Turun yliopisto. Sosiaalipolitiikan pro gradu -tutkielma.
Sikora, Joanna (1997). A Comparison of 1994/1995 International Survey of Economic Attitudes Data with Censuses [verkkodokumentti]. WwA: Worldwide Attitudes, Vol. 1997-12-21: 1-15. http://www.international-survey.org/wwa_pub/articles/joanna2.htm [viitattu 16.7.2004].
