DEVELOPMENT
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which groups of respondents dominated in the formation<br />
of one or another cluster.<br />
As a result of the analysis, three clusters were formed:<br />
• 1. This cluster formed around measures such as the<br />
strengthening of the social system, the strengthening<br />
of cultural identity, labour development and the<br />
promotion of industrial and technological policies.<br />
We called this the human capital-focused response<br />
pattern cluster.<br />
• 2. This cluster formed around measures such as the<br />
preservation of jobs, agricultural subsidies, barriers to<br />
prevent immigration as well as the strengthening of<br />
cultural identity and fighting crime. We called this the<br />
defensive-national-centred response pattern cluster.<br />
• 3. This cluster was the most diverse. On the one<br />
hand, it includes the main measures from the<br />
first cluster – the development of labour as well as<br />
industrial and technological policies. However, a<br />
number of other measures are also included, such<br />
as consolidation of the financial sphere; management<br />
of various non-economic risks; international<br />
cooperation for the prevention of crime and disease;<br />
and environmental conservation. We called this the<br />
cluster focused on institutional solutions for development<br />
and risk prevention. This cluster is characterised by a<br />
high percentage of measures related to international<br />
cooperation.<br />
Three measures play a formative role in two clusters<br />
simultaneously. These measures are the preservation of<br />
Estonia’s cultural identity, labour quality improvement as<br />
well as the development of industrial and technological<br />
policies. Emphases on national identity is connected to<br />
the first cluster with the means for strengthening Estonia’s<br />
potential in the international economy; in the second<br />
cluster, the same value is positioned in a protectionist<br />
context. It is understandable that the content and consequences<br />
of this aspiration may be different for different<br />
respondents. For some people, valuing the national identity<br />
may be connected to a desire to close Estonia off to<br />
external influences and dangers; while for others, it may<br />
be connected to the aspiration of having Estonia create its<br />
own high-tech industry.<br />
The fact that the majority of the economic policymakers,<br />
based on their preferences, are classified as<br />
belonging to the third cluster, is quite understandable,<br />
because their own activities are (or at least have been to<br />
date) quite focused on institutions and regulations (here,<br />
Estonia’s EU membership also probably plays a role). The<br />
breakdown of the entrepreneurs between clusters differs<br />
from that of the economic policymakers – most of them<br />
are positioned in the first cluster, which is focused on<br />
human capital. Although one of the factors forming the<br />
first cluster is the strengthening of social policies, and the<br />
majority of entrepreneurs are not among its supporters,<br />
the affiliation of the majority of entrepreneurs with the<br />
first cluster is determined by their support for labour<br />
development, and the promotion of industrial and technological<br />
policies. In the case of the entrepreneurs a certain<br />
underestimation of the importance of international<br />
Table 5.2.4<br />
Breakdown of the different elite groups as to their<br />
response patterns, % of the group.<br />
Cluster types<br />
Human capital-focused<br />
response pattern<br />
Defensive-nationalcentred<br />
response pattern<br />
Response pattern focused<br />
on institutional solutions<br />
for development and risk<br />
prevention<br />
cooperation measures can be observed (see Table 5.2.4.).<br />
Unlike the economic policymakers, the human capital<br />
and social issues (along with international cooperation)<br />
are significant on the mental maps of the politicians,<br />
judging by their large percentage in the first cluster. The<br />
breakdown of the cultural figures is broadly similar to<br />
that of the general sample. The fact that defensive attitudes<br />
dominate in a relatively large portion of the recently<br />
graduated PhDs may be partly caused by the fact that<br />
there are more women among them than in the other<br />
clusters. It is assumed that protective attitudes are more<br />
typical of women than men.<br />
There are differences between opinions of people<br />
broken down in different clusters as to how well Estonia<br />
has succeeded, or has not, as do their attitudes toward the<br />
European Union. As for the assessment of the dynamics<br />
in Estonia’s affairs (see Fig. 5.2.1.) it turns out that the<br />
respondents, whose answers mainly relate to the defensive-national-centred<br />
cluster, display a noticeably more<br />
negative assessment of the dynamics of Estonia’s demographic<br />
situation, as well as the dynamics of security<br />
developments and the widening income gap . They have<br />
a more negative image of the European Union than the<br />
others, and most of them do not agree with the opinion<br />
that Estonia’s membership in the EU has mitigated the<br />
negative impacts of globalisation.<br />
In most cases, those affiliated by their preferences<br />
with the third cluster look at the developments<br />
in Estonia, through glasses that are much rosier than<br />
the others’. This does not only apply to topics like the<br />
competitiveness of the state, or the impact of foreign<br />
investments on Estonia, but also, for instance, to<br />
health, the sense of security, wealth inequality, and<br />
even demographic trends. At this point it could be<br />
speculated that, due to the nature of their professional<br />
activities, the representatives of this cluster may be<br />
less down-to-earth, especially when it comes to their<br />
perception of social problems.<br />
Judged by their degree of criticism, the respondents<br />
affiliated with the human capital-focused cluster are generally<br />
located between the two other clusters. At the same<br />
time, they are more critical than the others about the<br />
dynamic of Estonia’s economic competitiveness.<br />
Entrepreneurs<br />
Economic<br />
policymakers<br />
Politicians<br />
Cultural figures<br />
PhDs<br />
Total<br />
54 26 49 34 32 37<br />
15 12 16 26 36 22<br />
31 62 35 40 38 41<br />
200<br />
Estonian Human Development Report 2012/2013