The paper is devoted to analysis of theoretical framework of studying discourse as a means of establishing and maintaining manageability on the internet. Data comes from theoretical literature, such as theory of managed space and the methodology of intersubjective institutionalism. The authors demonstrate modern changes in the analysis manageability from subject-object manageability in cybernetics and subject-subject manageability in the theory of political decision making to new version of subject-object manageability in closed virtual communities. The authors made conclusion that these changes led to an increase in the role of discourse as a means of establishing and maintaining manageability.