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Public Administration vocabulary · Government Structure

Governance

Meaning in public administration, with examples

/ˈɡʌvənəns/nounCommon term

In public administration, governance means: The whole system of rules, institutions and relationships through which decisions are made and power is exercised, including how government works with citizens, business and civil society.

In Turkish: yönetişim, yönetim

How it is used

Broader than government: it includes non-state actors and the quality of decision-making. Good governance is a fixed phrase in World Bank, UN and EU texts, usually linked to transparency, accountability, participation and the rule of law.

Example sentences

  1. The programme aims to strengthen local governance through better planning and citizen participation.

  2. Good governance requires clear rules that apply equally to everyone.

Common collocations

  • good governance
  • local governance
  • corporate governance
  • governance structure
  • multi-level governance
  • transparencyThe principle that public bodies should act openly, so that citizens can see how decisions are made, how money is spent and who is responsible.
  • accountabilityThe duty of public bodies and officials to explain and justify their decisions and use of resources, and to accept responsibility, including sanctions, when things go wrong.
  • public participationThe involvement of citizens and community groups in public decisions, for example through meetings, surveys, hearings or advisory bodies.
  • New Public ManagementA reform approach, widespread from the 1980s, that brought private-sector ideas into government, such as performance targets, competition, outsourcing and treating citizens as customers.

More terms: Government Structure

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