Governance: A code of multiple colours

The aim of this article is to provide an overview of some of the major theoretical perspectives on governance developed within the field of business and management. We critically review conceptualizations of governance in the mainstream literature, and contrast this with the relevant literature from the governmentality and institutionalist perspectives. This article emphasizes the diversity of conceptions of governance promoted by these different theories, and argues that this rich multiplicity offers genuine scope for gaining a more rounded understanding of the inherent complexities of contemporary governance forms and practices