- by Tim Plumptre, Founder, Institute On Governance
"Governance" was almost unknown in English until the last few years of the
20th century. Since words acquire meaning through use over time, it is not
surprising that at present there's debate about what governance means. There's
no fixed definition, but there are lots of ideas about what it should
mean, or what it might mean in different situations.
I find it useful to view governance as a set of ideas about how direction
is provided to human activity - to any form of collective action. What distinguishes
governance from management is that it is concerned with how the big
(or strategic) decisions are taken - decisions related to achieving important
goals, maintaining key relationships, and providing feedback - and who takes
those decisions. One definition that captures these complex ideas briefly
is this:
Governance is the process whereby societies or organizations make important
decisions, determine whom they involve and how they render account.
The term "governance" is adaptable to both structured and unstructured settings.
That is, it can relate to direction-setting in organizations (such as businesses,
governments, non-profit entities) and in looser associations (partnerships,
communities, alliances, international accords). It is not a synonym for government,
though some people view it as such.
The process of governance - the taking of decisions and rendering of account
- typically rests on a governance system or framework. The formal
elements of this system (constitutions, bylaws, policies, conventions) define
how the process is supposed to function in a particular setting. But in practice,
the informal traditions, accepted practices, or unwritten codes of
conduct that people follow are often equally important in determining how
governance works.
A selection of IOG publications and resources,
which examine governance in theory and in practice in a variety of areas, are listed below.
Publications on the Concept of Governance
- Partnerships: Putting Good Governance Principles in Practice
This publication analyzes the research and project work of the Institute On Governance in civil society - government partnerships from
the point of view of both players. The paper first explores the meaning of 'governance' and 'partnership'; then blends these concepts
with good governance principles used by the United Nations Development Programme and the Institute On Governance to create a tool for
assessing good governance in partnership arrangements. Finally, the paper draws on the Institute’s work in Canada and internationally,
to illustrate some of the lessons and best practices in the governance of partnerships.
- IOG Policy Brief No. 15:
Principles for Good Governance in the 21st Century
This policy brief is based on a larger research project exploring the application
of UN principles of good governance to protected areas. Developed initially in an
environmental context, the principles are nonetheless widely applicable. The paper
has received excellent reviews from academics and government officials in Canada,
Australia and Europe. The original paper was prepared for the Fifth World Parks
Congress in South Africa under the auspices of Parks Canada and CIDA.
- Governance Principles for
Protected Areas in the 21st Century
A thought-provoking look at the principles of good governance, this paper was
written in collaboration with Parks Canada and the Canadian International Development
Agency for the Fifth World Parks Congress to be held in South Africa in September 2003.
It has already received enthusiastic reviews such as: "watershed paper" and "a very
thoughtful and comprehensive report…a substantive and original contribution to the field".
- Governance and Good
Governance: International and Aboriginal Perspectives
Explores the definition of governance, how governance differs from government
and why this distinction is important for policy makers in the Aboriginal and
non-Aboriginal context.
- Understanding
Governance in Strong Aboriginal Communities - Phase One: Principles and Best
Practices form the Literature
Produced in collaboration with York University, CESO Aboriginal Services
and Saskatchewan Federated Indian College. The first phase of a study of the
linkages between sound governance and strong Aboriginal communities.
- Aboriginal
Governance in the Decade Ahead: Towards a New Agenda for Change
Based on mounting evidence that sound governance is a necessary condition
for sustainable socio-economic development, this paper outlines some of the
central governance challenges facing Aboriginal communities in Canada -
particularly First Nations - and proposes an agenda of change to deal with
these issues over the coming decade.
- Governance and
the Common Toilet
Based on the experiences of IOG's MAGNET
(Media And Governance Network) programme, this
article takes a refreshing and practical look at the fundamentals of good
governance. The MAGNET project brought together the forces of community
representatives, local government, NGOs and media in three South Asia cities:
Dehiwala-Mt. Lavinia, Sri Lanka; Sangli, India; and Kathmandu, Nepal.
The essay discusses the power of this combination in addressing the pressing
needs of the urban poor, and could signal a new approach to community capacity building.
- Policy Brief No. 19:
Stewardship, Good Governance and Ethics
As the IOG discovered in a survey of common usages of the term 'stewardship' in
various contexts around the world, the term has gained currency in a wide variety of policy
debates - particularly around environmental, product, and technological stewardship - but there
is remarkably little consistency to the concept's meaning. This policy brief clarifies the
meaning of 'stewardship' by: (1) outlining common current usages; (2) illustrating the problems
with inconsistent usages in the context of biotechnology in Canada; and (3) comparing 'stewardship'
to the related concepts of 'good governance' and 'ethics'.
- What is Good Board Governance?
This section of IOG’s Board Governance Learning Tools discusses the definition and complexity of governance
as it relates to the voluntary sector.
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