Assessing the impact of informal governance on political innovation

The aim of this article is to examine the role played by ‘informal governance’ in shaping political innovation. Informal governance can be defined as a means of decision-making that is un-codified, non-institutional and where social relationships play crucial roles. This article explores the impact of informal governance on three dimensions of political innovation – innovations in polity (institutions), politics (process) and policy (outcomes). It argues that an analysis of informal governance is essential if we are to fully understand how political innovation occurs. Research evidence suggests that even when formal structures and procedures are weak political innovation can still thrive.