Governance, Enterprise Governance, and IT Governance
Governance is the system by which an organization is directed, controlled, and held accountable. It establishes the framework within which decisions are made, authority is exercised, and outcomes are measured against the organization's defined purpose.
ISO 37000 defines governance as "a human-based system by which an organization is directed, overseen and held accountable for achieving its defined purpose in an ethical and responsible manner."
Sir Adrian Cadbury's foundational formulation remains the clearest: governance is "the system by which companies are directed and controlled.
Both definitions converge on the same essential insight: governance is not about doing, it is about ensuring that the right things are done, by the right people, with the right authority, and with full accountability for outcomes.
