This document is a chapter in "The Principles and Practice of Educational Management," which aims to provide a systematic and analytical introduction to the study of educational management. The structure of the book reflects the main substantive areas of educational leadership and management, and most of the major themes are covered in the volume's 19 chapters, of which this is one. This chapter offers a set of models that administrators can use to analyze education governance and consider the possible impact of proposed changes across various cultures. One of the problems in looking at governance in different cultures is the temptation toward a "false universalism," in which researchers find commonalities where none exists. Studies of educational management too often neglect the framework of governance within which school leaders operate. If governance is defined as a system operating with certain tensions, such as integration versus fragmentation, then it can be considered as an overarching concept so as to establish a framework within which other common concepts related to structure and process can be located. The various types of models used here to understand the various contexts are the competitive market, school empowerment, local empowerment, and school quality. School autonomy, accountability, and school leadership can be understood better if they are considered under each of these models. Since structures of governance vary widely among different national contexts, and many of these structures are also in flux, practitioners need to analyze their own contemporary settings closely and take this analysis into account in developing their approach to the management of external relations. (Contains 44 references.) (RJM)