Maaseutuhallinnon arjen todellisuus : puhetta byrokraattisuudesta

The article analyses bureaucratic discourse in everyday rural administration, utilising Max Weber’s bureaucratic theory and the notions of dysfunctional bureaucracy by Robert K. Merton. The word bureaucracy has a negative connotation in implementing business funding within partially EU financed rural development programmes. The research contains 38 interviews with rural administration actors and entrepreneurs. Critical discourse analysis revealed three discourses: law obedience, programme as a host and wholeness missing. The results established that the bureaucratic model of rural administration produces many undesired consequences.