Governance, as i understand ...

Governance, as i understand it, is the sum total of the regulating and influencing factors that shape the functions and activities of society.  It is broader than government in its official form, because it should include social structures and even touch on the cultural views and expectations of societies.  For instance, where traditional land ownership involves ideas of the right to, or ownership of, water, these form part of the governance framework and must be taken into account when designing measures to manage water as a resource.