Governance
From government to governance
Governance shifts attention from a single hierarchical state to networks of state, market and civil society. Learn good governance dimensions: participation, rule of law, transparency, responsiveness, consensus orientation, equity, effectiveness and efficiency, accountability (UNDP/World Bank lists vary; cite the standard set). Distinguish governance (process of steering) from government (formal institutions). Know e-governance stages (information, interaction, transaction, transformation) and participatory tools (citizen charters, social audit, public hearings, RTI).
Key debates
- New public management vs new public governance vs network governance. NPM stresses markets and performance; NPG stresses co-production and relationships.
- State, market and community failure. Each has failure modes; good governance designs mixed solutions.
- Decentralisation and local governance. Fiscal, administrative and political decentralisation are distinct; local capture is a risk.
- Multi-level governance and the role of non-state actors.
Traps
- Governance is not synonymous with good governance; governance can be poor.
- Transparency ≠ accountability. Transparency is information flow; accountability requires answerability plus consequences.
- E-government is not just computers; it is process reengineering and service delivery.
- Decentralisation ≠ deconcentration.
Rule of thumb
When a question asks how to improve service delivery, structure the answer around three levers: information (transparency, RTI, digital portals), voice (participation, grievance redress), and enforcement (audit, sanctions, courts). This triad converts vague "good governance" answers into examinable specifics.