The New Governance: Governing without Government

Abstract

The term ‘governance’ is popular but imprecise. It has at least six uses, referring to: the minimal state; corporate governance: the new public management; ‘good governance’; socio-cybernetic systems: and self-organizing networks. I stipulate that governance refers to ‘self-organizing, interorganizational networks' and argue these networks complement markets and hierarchies as governing structures for authoritatively allocating resources and exercising control and co-ordination. I defend this definition, arguing that it throws new light on recent changes in British government, most notably: hollowing out the state, the new public management, and intergovernmental management. 1 conclude that networks are now a pervasive feature of service delivery in Britain; that such networks are characterized by trust and mutual adjustment and undermine management reforms rooted in competition; and that they are a challenge to governability because they become autonomous and resist central guidance.

Networks in Public Administration: Current scholarship in review

“…Public administration researchers have for some time observed the replacement of hierarchical or bureaucratic authority by more complex governance arrangements involving multiple public and private sector entities such as mixed markets and public private partnerships (Frederickson, 1999;Rhodes, 1996). In response to this shift, scholarship has increasingly adopted new theoretical frameworks, including the concept of 'networks' as a form of organizing important governance functions across independent actors (Salamon and Elliott, 2002).…”

Sport governance encounters: Insights from lived experiences

“…In encompassing governance within the commercial, public and non-profit sectors, across which the legal entities of sport transgress, Rhodes (1996) and Rosenau (1995) noted that governance is the process in which an organisation, network of organisations, or a society steers itself, allocates resources, and exercises control and co-ordination. This description signals a This study explored sport governance practice from the lived experience of one informant spanning a 30-year period in the governance of two sport organisations (basketball and cricket).…”

Governance and Offshore Aquaculture in Multi-resource Use Settings

“…Indeed, governance is often confused with government and has many meanings depending on the disciplinary view or context in which the term is being applied. The political scientist, Roderick Rhodes (1996) developed a concept of governance which was adopted by the European Commission in their White Paper on European Governance where "European governance" refers to rules, processes and behaviour affecting the way powers are exercised at a European level (EU 2001). Herein, the qualities of good governance are referred to as the 5 "principles of good governance":…”