User group boundaries
- Variable relationship:
Ostrom (1990) predicts that social boundaries (Actor Group Boundary Clarity) that delineate who is and who is not a member of a commons user group, or otherwise who can and who cannot use a commons (Outsider Exclusion) are important for limiting access to the commons. Social boundaries are also pivotal in ensuring that those who comply with group rules are provided sufficient benefts (from commons use) for motivating their continued cooperation (Collective Action) and succesful outcomes (Commons Condition Trend). Initial formulations of this theory grouped social boundaries with resource boundaries, but was subdivided by Cox et al. (2010).
- Project
- SESMAD
- Sector(s)
- Scientific Field
- Component Type(s)
- Natural Resource Unit
- Status
- Public
Variables
| Variable | Role | Role Explanation | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Actor group boundary clarity | Proximate independent variable | Clear social boundaries (as opposed to unclear boundaries or no boundaries) are needed to ensure that cooperators obtain the benefits needed to sustain collective action and the condition of the commons. | Clear boundaries |
| Collective action | Intermediate outcome | Clear social boundaries and outsider exclusion provide incentives for high levels of collective action. | High |
| Outsider exclusion | Intermediate outcome | Clear social boundaries and high levels of collective action help to enable the effective exclusion of non-user-group members (outsiders) from over-using the commons. | Some to total exclusion |
| Commons condition trend | Final outcome | As a result of high levels of collective the commons is sustained or improved. | Remained the same or improved. |
Related Theories
| Theory | Relationship | Characterizing Variables |
|---|---|---|
| CBNRM design principles | nested | |
| Collective action and the commons | contains |