kokonaistoimintaa

Kokonaistoimintaa is a Finnish term used to describe a holistic, cross-sectoral approach to planning and carrying out activities that affect multiple sectors or stakeholders. In public administration, kokonaistoiminta refers to coordinating resources, information, and decision-making across organizational boundaries to achieve shared objectives. The aim is to create coherent, end-to-end solutions rather than optimizing components in isolation. Common contexts include social and health services integration, regional development, civil protection, and national security.

Key elements include joint governance structures, shared objectives, synchronized planning, interoperable information systems, and joint monitoring of outcomes. Implementation typically involves interagency committees or joint operation centers, formal cooperation agreements, common data standards, and regular exercises to test procedures.

Benefits cited for kokonaistoimintaa include improved service continuity, reduced duplication, better use of resources, and stronger resilience in crises. Challenges include increased administrative complexity, legal and data-protection considerations, differences in organizational cultures, and funding silos that can hinder cross-cutting initiatives. Successful practice often depends on strong leadership, clear mandates, and trust among participating actors.

In Finland, the term appears in discussions on welfare state reform, regional governance, and crisis management as a way to harmonize action across municipalities, ministries, and agencies. It is related to concepts such as cross-sectoral governance and holistic management.