The New Governance: Governing without Government

TLDR

Governance is a popular but imprecise term with at least six distinct uses, ranging from minimal state to corporate governance, new public management, good governance, socio‑cybernetic systems, and self‑organizing networks. The author defines governance as self‑organizing interorganizational networks that complement markets and hierarchies for resource allocation, control, and coordination. The definition explains recent shifts in British governance—state hollowing, new public management, and intergovernmental management—by showing that self‑organizing networks are now pervasive in service delivery, rely on trust and mutual adjustment, undermine competition‑based reforms, and pose a challenge to governability due to their autonomy and resistance to central guidance.

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.