| What is “governance”? |
What is “governance”?
The term governance often gives rise to confusion because it is (erroneously) assumed that it must refer solely to acts or duties of the government.
Of course, governments do play an important role in many kinds of governance.
However, in fact, the concept is far broader, and extends beyond merely the State.
For example, we have seen increasing reference recently to the notion of “corporate governance”, a process that involves oversight both by the State and by a host of non-State bodies, including corporations themselves.
Don McLean points out that the word governance derives from the Latin word “gubernare”, which refers to the action of steering a ship.
This etymology suggests a broader definition for governance.
One important implication of this broader view is that governance includes multiple tools and mechanisms.
Traditional law and policy are certainly among those mechanisms.
However, as we shall see throughout this primer, governance can take place through many other channels.
Technology, social norms, decision-making procedures, and institutional design: all of these are as equally important in governance as law or policy. |
| The term governance often gives rise to confusion because it is (erroneously) assumed that it must refer solely to acts or duties of the government. |
What is “governance”?
The term governance often gives rise to confusion because it is (erroneously) assumed that it must refer solely to acts or duties of the government.
Of course, governments do play an important role in many kinds of governance.
However, in fact, the concept is far broader, and extends beyond merely the State.
For example, we have seen increasing reference recently to the notion of “corporate governance”, a process that involves oversight both by the State and by a host of non-State bodies, including corporations themselves.
Don McLean points out that the word governance derives from the Latin word “gubernare”, which refers to the action of steering a ship.
This etymology suggests a broader definition for governance.
One important implication of this broader view is that governance includes multiple tools and mechanisms.
Traditional law and policy are certainly among those mechanisms.
However, as we shall see throughout this primer, governance can take place through many other channels.
Technology, social norms, decision-making procedures, and institutional design: all of these are as equally important in governance as law or policy. |
| Of course, governments do play an important role in many kinds of governance. |
What is “governance”?
The term governance often gives rise to confusion because it is (erroneously) assumed that it must refer solely to acts or duties of the government.
Of course, governments do play an important role in many kinds of governance.
However, in fact, the concept is far broader, and extends beyond merely the State.
For example, we have seen increasing reference recently to the notion of “corporate governance”, a process that involves oversight both by the State and by a host of non-State bodies, including corporations themselves.
Don McLean points out that the word governance derives from the Latin word “gubernare”, which refers to the action of steering a ship.
This etymology suggests a broader definition for governance.
One important implication of this broader view is that governance includes multiple tools and mechanisms.
Traditional law and policy are certainly among those mechanisms.
However, as we shall see throughout this primer, governance can take place through many other channels.
Technology, social norms, decision-making procedures, and institutional design: all of these are as equally important in governance as law or policy. |
| However, in fact, the concept is far broader, and extends beyond merely the State. |
What is “governance”?
The term governance often gives rise to confusion because it is (erroneously) assumed that it must refer solely to acts or duties of the government.
Of course, governments do play an important role in many kinds of governance.
However, in fact, the concept is far broader, and extends beyond merely the State.
For example, we have seen increasing reference recently to the notion of “corporate governance”, a process that involves oversight both by the State and by a host of non-State bodies, including corporations themselves.
Don McLean points out that the word governance derives from the Latin word “gubernare”, which refers to the action of steering a ship.
This etymology suggests a broader definition for governance.
One important implication of this broader view is that governance includes multiple tools and mechanisms.
Traditional law and policy are certainly among those mechanisms.
However, as we shall see throughout this primer, governance can take place through many other channels.
Technology, social norms, decision-making procedures, and institutional design: all of these are as equally important in governance as law or policy. |
| For example, we have seen increasing reference recently to the notion of “corporate governance”, a process that involves oversight both by the State and by a host of non-State bodies, including corporations themselves. |
What is “governance”?
The term governance often gives rise to confusion because it is (erroneously) assumed that it must refer solely to acts or duties of the government.
Of course, governments do play an important role in many kinds of governance.
However, in fact, the concept is far broader, and extends beyond merely the State.
For example, we have seen increasing reference recently to the notion of “corporate governance”, a process that involves oversight both by the State and by a host of non-State bodies, including corporations themselves.
Don McLean points out that the word governance derives from the Latin word “gubernare”, which refers to the action of steering a ship.
This etymology suggests a broader definition for governance.
One important implication of this broader view is that governance includes multiple tools and mechanisms.
Traditional law and policy are certainly among those mechanisms.
However, as we shall see throughout this primer, governance can take place through many other channels.
Technology, social norms, decision-making procedures, and institutional design: all of these are as equally important in governance as law or policy. |
| Don McLean points out that the word governance derives from the Latin word “gubernare”, which refers to the action of steering a ship. |
What is “governance”?
The term governance often gives rise to confusion because it is (erroneously) assumed that it must refer solely to acts or duties of the government.
Of course, governments do play an important role in many kinds of governance.
However, in fact, the concept is far broader, and extends beyond merely the State.
For example, we have seen increasing reference recently to the notion of “corporate governance”, a process that involves oversight both by the State and by a host of non-State bodies, including corporations themselves.
Don McLean points out that the word governance derives from the Latin word “gubernare”, which refers to the action of steering a ship.
This etymology suggests a broader definition for governance.
One important implication of this broader view is that governance includes multiple tools and mechanisms.
Traditional law and policy are certainly among those mechanisms.
However, as we shall see throughout this primer, governance can take place through many other channels.
Technology, social norms, decision-making procedures, and institutional design: all of these are as equally important in governance as law or policy. |
| This etymology suggests a broader definition for governance. |
What is “governance”?
The term governance often gives rise to confusion because it is (erroneously) assumed that it must refer solely to acts or duties of the government.
Of course, governments do play an important role in many kinds of governance.
However, in fact, the concept is far broader, and extends beyond merely the State.
For example, we have seen increasing reference recently to the notion of “corporate governance”, a process that involves oversight both by the State and by a host of non-State bodies, including corporations themselves.
Don McLean points out that the word governance derives from the Latin word “gubernare”, which refers to the action of steering a ship.
This etymology suggests a broader definition for governance.
One important implication of this broader view is that governance includes multiple tools and mechanisms.
Traditional law and policy are certainly among those mechanisms.
However, as we shall see throughout this primer, governance can take place through many other channels.
Technology, social norms, decision-making procedures, and institutional design: all of these are as equally important in governance as law or policy. |
| One important implication of this broader view is that governance includes multiple tools and mechanisms. |
What is “governance”?
The term governance often gives rise to confusion because it is (erroneously) assumed that it must refer solely to acts or duties of the government.
Of course, governments do play an important role in many kinds of governance.
However, in fact, the concept is far broader, and extends beyond merely the State.
For example, we have seen increasing reference recently to the notion of “corporate governance”, a process that involves oversight both by the State and by a host of non-State bodies, including corporations themselves.
Don McLean points out that the word governance derives from the Latin word “gubernare”, which refers to the action of steering a ship.
This etymology suggests a broader definition for governance.
One important implication of this broader view is that governance includes multiple tools and mechanisms.
Traditional law and policy are certainly among those mechanisms.
However, as we shall see throughout this primer, governance can take place through many other channels.
Technology, social norms, decision-making procedures, and institutional design: all of these are as equally important in governance as law or policy. |
| Traditional law and policy are certainly among those mechanisms. |
What is “governance”?
The term governance often gives rise to confusion because it is (erroneously) assumed that it must refer solely to acts or duties of the government.
Of course, governments do play an important role in many kinds of governance.
However, in fact, the concept is far broader, and extends beyond merely the State.
For example, we have seen increasing reference recently to the notion of “corporate governance”, a process that involves oversight both by the State and by a host of non-State bodies, including corporations themselves.
Don McLean points out that the word governance derives from the Latin word “gubernare”, which refers to the action of steering a ship.
This etymology suggests a broader definition for governance.
One important implication of this broader view is that governance includes multiple tools and mechanisms.
Traditional law and policy are certainly among those mechanisms.
However, as we shall see throughout this primer, governance can take place through many other channels.
Technology, social norms, decision-making procedures, and institutional design: all of these are as equally important in governance as law or policy. |
| However, as we shall see throughout this primer, governance can take place through many other channels. |
What is “governance”?
The term governance often gives rise to confusion because it is (erroneously) assumed that it must refer solely to acts or duties of the government.
Of course, governments do play an important role in many kinds of governance.
However, in fact, the concept is far broader, and extends beyond merely the State.
For example, we have seen increasing reference recently to the notion of “corporate governance”, a process that involves oversight both by the State and by a host of non-State bodies, including corporations themselves.
Don McLean points out that the word governance derives from the Latin word “gubernare”, which refers to the action of steering a ship.
This etymology suggests a broader definition for governance.
One important implication of this broader view is that governance includes multiple tools and mechanisms.
Traditional law and policy are certainly among those mechanisms.
However, as we shall see throughout this primer, governance can take place through many other channels.
Technology, social norms, decision-making procedures, and institutional design: all of these are as equally important in governance as law or policy. |
| Technology, social norms, decision-making procedures, and institutional design: all of these are as equally important in governance as law or policy. |
What is “governance”?
The term governance often gives rise to confusion because it is (erroneously) assumed that it must refer solely to acts or duties of the government.
Of course, governments do play an important role in many kinds of governance.
However, in fact, the concept is far broader, and extends beyond merely the State.
For example, we have seen increasing reference recently to the notion of “corporate governance”, a process that involves oversight both by the State and by a host of non-State bodies, including corporations themselves.
Don McLean points out that the word governance derives from the Latin word “gubernare”, which refers to the action of steering a ship.
This etymology suggests a broader definition for governance.
One important implication of this broader view is that governance includes multiple tools and mechanisms.
Traditional law and policy are certainly among those mechanisms.
However, as we shall see throughout this primer, governance can take place through many other channels.
Technology, social norms, decision-making procedures, and institutional design: all of these are as equally important in governance as law or policy. |
