Organizational Enablers for Project Governance

CHAPTER

1

Introduction

On governance in the 21st century:

Looking at governance as the general exercise of authority, it seems that over the long run there has been a clear reduction in the absolute or unconstrained power of those in positions of power. This has been a marked trend both at the macropolitical level, where the state attempts to effect society-wide governance, and at the micro level, where firms and families have experienced important changes in the exercise of authority. (OECD, 2001, p. 9)

On governmentality:

…the good governor does not have to have a sting—that is to say, a weapon of killing, a sword—in order to exercise his power; he must have patience rather than wrath, and it is not the right to kill, to employ force, ...