How Decision Systems Learn What Matters: Building Purpose-Aligned Governance

This paper examines how institutional decision systems determine what counts as important over time. It introduces a framework for understanding how purpose is translated into capabilities, value drivers, and decision criteria within governance structures. The paper shows how learning occurs through the interaction between interpretation, allocation, and feedback, shaping what institutions come to prioritise. It contributes a structural perspective on purpose-aligned governance by analysing how institutions encode and update their understanding of value. This paper is part of the Coherence Programme. Further materials and companion papers are available at: https://thecoherenceprogramme.org/