DAMA-DMBOK2 defines Data Governance as the exercise of authority and control over the management of data assets. This definition distinguishes governance from the operational execution of Data Management. Independent literature describing DAMA's framework uses the same core formulation, and the DAMA Wheel places Data Governance across the other knowledge areas through this authority-and-control function.

Governance establishes decision rights, accountability, policies, standards, stewardship, issue escalation, compliance expectations, and mechanisms for monitoring whether data is being managed appropriately. It determines who is authorized to make decisions and what rules must be followed; individual Data Management knowledge areas then execute the corresponding operational activities.

Option E is closer to the broad definition of Data Management, because it refers to planning, implementation, and control across the information lifecycle. Option A describes an assessment or maturity activity. Option B describes selected governance benefits rather than its definition, while option C characterizes a collection of functions.

For Data Quality, governance provides the authority needed to define critical data, approve quality requirements and thresholds, assign accountability, prioritize remediation, and enforce standards. Without this authority structure, profiling may identify defects but the organization may lack the decision mechanisms required to correct their underlying causes.

Reference Topics: DAMA-DMBOK2 Chapter 3 — Data Governance Definition; Authority and Control; Policies and Standards; Chapter 13 — Data Quality Governance.

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