Good governance

This entry reviews briefly the two main interpretations of “good governance” in the literature: one where governance is conceived as context, or the “enabling environment”, and one where governance is conceived as a practice, or how power is exercised. In the former, good (or effective) governance is seen as a necessary, though not sufficient, condition for the generation and implementation of good policies (fair, inclusive, sustainable, etc.). In the latter, good governance is seen as the way the government–general society interactions should occur (transparent, free from nepotism, favouritism, or discrimination, etc.). Both perspectives offer useful insights on how to improve our institutional frameworks at all levels. A key challenge for researchers in this field will be exploring crossovers between the two branches in the literature and exploring the relationships between governance and policy outcomes. This research agenda will require new analytical frameworks that facilitate comparative analyses and the generation of empirical insights that can travel across geographies and scales.