Introduction to the Handbook on Measuring Governance

‘Governance’ is a term that describes a bewildering array of phenomena related to governing, driven by all types of organizations who use many different governing methods. These vary from top-down and centrally driven to more collaborative and inclusive arrangements. Similarly, the idea of measurement has expanded and spread, driven by a growing need to demonstrate improvements in the public good. For governance, measurement is about assessing the performance of organizations, programmes and policies. The aim of this handbook on measuring governance is to map historical developments, trace theoretical conceptions, showcase key approaches to measuring governance, and summarize what we know about measuring governance from research in a range of specific fields of practice.