THE NEW GOVERNANCE - GOVERNING WITHOUT GOVERNMENT

The term 'governance' is popular but imprecise. It has at least six us es, referring to: the minimal state; corporate governance; the new pub lic management; 'good governance'; socio-cybernetic systems; and self- organizing networks. I stipulate that governance refers to 'self-organ izing, interorganizational networks' and argue these networks compleme nt markets and hierarchies as governing structures for authoritatively allocating resources and exercising control and co-ordination. I defe nd 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 manage-ment. I conclude that networks are now a pervasive feature of service delivery in Britain; that such networks are characterized by trust and mutual adjustment an d undermine management reforms rooted in competition: and that they ar e a challenge to governability because they become autonomous and resi st central guidance.