Culminating Activity

Module 7: The Concept & Theories of Governance

Subject Teacher: Mr. Mikko L. Domingo

Lesson Description:

“Knowledge is knowledge only when the students do at their best on what they learn. “ This module is the first part
of the course on Governance and Development.

Course Objectives:

1. Describe the development of the definition of governance as well as the current perspectives on the word
governance; 
2. Discuss sustainable human development and the new public management;

 Discussion

FUNCTIONS OF APPLIED SOCIAL SCIENCES TO SELF-DEVELOPMENT

THE CONCEPT OF GOVERNANCE 

                      In most dictionaries “government” and “governance” are interchangeably used, both denoting the
exercise of authority in an organization, institution or state. Government is the name given to the entity exercising that
authority. Authority can most simply define as legitimate power. Whereas power is the ability to influence the
behavior of others, authority is the right to do so. Authority is therefore the based on an
acknowledged duty to obey rather than on any form of coercion or manipulation. Weber
distinguished between three kinds of authority, based on the different grounds upon obedience can
be established; traditional authority is rooted in history, charismatic authority stems from personality
and legal-authority is grounded in a set of impersonal rules. To study government is to study the exercise of authority.
(Heywood, 1997) Government is closely related to politics. 

        To study politics is in essence to study government or more broadly, to study the exercise of authority. Politics is
the art of government, the exercise of control within the society through the making and enforcement of collective
decisions. (Heywood 1997) The realm of politics is restricted to state actors who are consciously motivated by
ideological beliefs, and who seek to advance them through membership of a formal organization such as a political
organization. This is the sense in which politicians are described as “political” whereas civil servants are seen as “non
political”, the state as “public” and the civil society as “private”. The institutions of the state (the apparatus of the
government, the courts, the police, the army, the society-security system and so forth) can be regarded as “public” in
the sense that they are responsible for the collective organization of the community life. Moreover, they are funded at
the public’s
 expenses, out of taxation. In contrast, civil society consists of what Raymund Burke called the little platoons,
institutions such as the family and kinship groups, private businesses, trade unions, clubs,
community groups and so on that are private in the sense that they are set up and funded by
individual citizens. On the basis of this public/private life division, government is restricted to the
activities of the state itself and the responsibilities which are properly exercised by public bodies.
Although civil society can be distinguished from the state, it nevertheless contains a range of institutions that are
thought as “public” in a wider access.

One of its crucial implications is that it broadens our notion of the government transferring the economy in particular
from the private to the public realm. Now, the conception of politics and government move beyond
the narrow realm of government to what is thought as “public life” or “public affairs.” Since, the
government doesn’t only decide for all and the civil society and the private sectors play vital role in
the community, thus, the conception of the word “governance”. Governance is a broader term than government. In its
widest sense, it refers to the various ways in which social life is coordinated. Government can therefore be seen as one
of the institutions in governance; it is possible to have governance without government. (Heywood, 1997) 

Governance: Varying Definitions Governance is: 

 
1. “The traditions and institutions by which authority in a country is exercised” – Kaufman et al 
 
2. The way “ … power is exercised through a country’s economic, political, and social institutions.” – the World
Bank’s PRSP Handbook. 
 
3. “The sound exercise of political, economic, and administrative authority to manage a country’s resources for
development. It involves the institutionalization of a system through which citizens, institutions, organizations, and
groups in a society articulate their interests, exercise their rights, and mediate their differences in pursuit of the
collective good “(Country Governance Assessment 2005). 
 
4. “The exercise of economic, political, and administrative authority to manage a country’s affairs at
all levels. It comprises mechanisms, processes, and institutions through which citizens and groups
articulate their interests, exercise their legal rights, meet their obligations, and mediate their
differences.” UNDP. 
 
5. in governance, citizens are rightly concerned with a government’s responsiveness to their needs and protection of
their rights. In general, governance issues pertain to the ability of government to develop an efficient, effective, and
accountable public management process that is open to citizen participation and that strengthens rather than weakens a
democratic system of government. “ The USAID, Office of Democracy & Governance

6. refers to how any organization, including a nation, is run. It includes all the processes, systems, and controls that are
used to safeguard and grow assets.” (UNDP, 1997) 
 
7. “The systems, processes and procedures put in place to steer the direction, management and accountability of an
organization.” Birmingham City Council. When applied to organizations that operate commercially, governance is
often termed "corporate governance" 
 
8. "promoting fairness, transparency and accountability" – World Bank 
 
9. "a system by which business organizations are directed and controlled".- OECD 
 
10. “the manner in which power is exercised in the management of a country’s social and economic resources for
development. It is referred to as the quality of the institutions to make, implement and enforce sound policies in an
efficient, effective, equitable and inclusive man The Asian Development Bank (ADB) 
 
11. In broad terms, governance is about the institutional environment in which citizens interact among themselves and
with government agencies/officials. (ADB, 2005). 
 
12. the process of decision-making and the process by which decisions are implemented (or not implemented).
Governance can be used in several contexts such as corporate governance, international governance, national
governance and local governance. 
 
13. the interactions among structures, processes and traditions that determine how power and
responsibilities are exercised, how decisions are taken, and how citizens or other stakeholders
have their say. Fundamentally, it is about power, relationships and accountability: who has
influence, who decides, and how decision-makers are held accountable. (IOG 2003) 

14. “as the exercise of economic, political and administrative authority to manage the nation’s affairs at all levels. It
comprises of mechanisms, processes and institutions through which citizens and groups articulate their interests,
exercise their legal rights and obligations and mediate their differences. Governance is not the sole domain of
government but transcends government to encompass the business sector and the civil society. NEDA (2006) 
 

-The End-
 Culminating Activity Week 5

Name:________________________________ Date____________________

Year and Section:_________________________________

Instruction

Tell whether the statement is true or false.

_________________1.   In most dictionaries “government” and “governance” are interchangeably used.

_________________2. Government is the name given to the entity exercising that authority. Authority can most
simply define as legitimate power. 

_________________ 3. Politics is the not art of government

_______________ 4. The realm of politics is restricted to state actors who are consciously motivated by ideological
beliefs

_________________5. Government is restricted to the activities of the state itself and the responsibilities.

_________________6. Governance is a broader term than government. 

_________________7 One of its crucial implications is that it broadens our notion of the government transferring the
economy in particular from the private to the public realm. 

_________________8. On the basis of this public/private life division, the government is restricted to the activities of
the state itself

 ________________ 9 Politics is the art of government, the exercise of control within the society through the making
and enforcement of collective decisions. 

_________________10.  Traditional authority is rooted in history.

Output

FILL ME Directions: Make a poster/collage/ that shows the significance of governance.