Power structures, elite networks, and informal governance in governance systems

Purpose This study aims to critically examine how power structures and personal linkages influence governance systems, with a particular focus on elite dominance and informal networks in shaping institutional performance, accountability and transparency. It moves beyond formal institutional explanations by integrating informal governance dynamics into an integrative analytical framework that explains how governance operates in practice. Design/methodology/approach The study adopts a structured critical literature review using a narrative synthesis approach. Data were collected from peer-reviewed sources indexed in Scopus, covering publications from 2020 to 2025. A systematic screening process guided the application of inclusion and exclusion criteria, followed by thematic coding, comparative analysis and critical interpretation of 35 selected studies focusing on power structures, elite influence, patronage systems, informal networks and governance accountability. Findings The review demonstrates that governance outcomes are produced through the interaction of formal institutions and informal power structures. These interactions operate through four key mechanisms: complementarity, substitution, competition and overlap. While formal institutions emphasize transparency and rule-based governance, informal mechanisms such as elite networks and patronage systems shape how rules are implemented, modified or bypassed. These interaction patterns contribute to variation in governance performance, including accountability deficits, unequal resource distribution and reduced institutional legitimacy across contexts. Originality/value This study provides a structured integrative synthesis of formal and informal governance literature and develops an analytical typology of interaction mechanisms that explains how relational power structures systematically shape governance outcomes across diverse contexts, thereby offering a refined conceptual contribution to understanding governance complexity.