Need to overcome two scholarly approaches

Need to overcome two scholarly approaches

• Need to overcome two scholarly approaches

• Seeking universal theories and solutions
• Focusing on the unique aspect of every site

• We will illustrate how we can begin to move beyond the limits of these two approaches

• We will link a diagnostic framework with a theory of self-organization to explain why two fishing communities in Mexico self-organized and one did not.

Need a common language among those disciplines analyzing resource problems so we can learn from individual studies, develop better theory, test that theory in the field and the lab, and build still better theory

• Need a common language among those disciplines analyzing resource problems so we can learn from individual studies, develop better theory, test that theory in the field and the lab, and build still better theory

• Can only provide a brief overview of our effort to do this

• Will illustrate with the results of extensive field research conducted by Xavier Basurto and colleagues over several years

• Let’s look at the broadest tool first

In analyzing a particular case, a core question is which factors affect the potential benefits and costs that users face in continuing present rules and strategies or changing them

• In analyzing a particular case, a core question is which factors affect the potential benefits and costs that users face in continuing present rules and strategies or changing them

• One would posit that each user (i C U) compares the expected net benefits of harvesting, using the old operational rules (GS5O), with the benefits they expect to achieve using a new set of operational rules (GS5N)

• Each user i must ask whether their incentive to change (Di) is positive or negative

Adopt new rules if benefits of new system of rules are perceived to be greater than costs

• Adopt new rules if benefits of new system of rules are perceived to be greater than costs

• Stay with old system – open access – if adopting new rules will not provide sufficient benefits to overcome the costs involved in adopting a new set of rules

• If some variance, depends on B-C for those in “winning coalition” in that site

• Rarely have the information on the estimated costs and benefits of developing rules of self-organization related to who can harvest when, where, and how and who will monitor

Depends on the theoretical question one wants to address in particular types of SES

• Depends on the theoretical question one wants to address in particular types of SES

• To examine the question of why some resource users would self-organize, a growing theory is developing from the extensive research of the last two decades

• Starts with a set of variables about resources and their users that have made a difference in the likelihood of self-organization in extensive empirical studies

Rarely have quantitative information about the specific benefits and costs for particular users

• Rarely have quantitative information about the specific benefits and costs for particular users

• With good fieldwork, however, can make a good estimate of the differences among cases on a key set of diagnostic variables

• Let’s look at a comparative table

Our own time is a common-pool resource. I have harvested enough minutes already

• Our own time is a common-pool resource. I have harvested enough minutes already

• Will not discuss all of the design principles that help us understand why some self-organized systems are robust over time, let me simply point out that:

• 6 of the 8 design principles characterized both the Seri and Peñasco fisheries

• Clearly defined boundaries; Congruence; Collective-choice arrangements; Monitoring; Graduated sanctions, and Conflict-resolution mechanisms

• The Peñasco system lacked formal recognition and integration of their self-governance local regime with multiple layers of nested enterprises

• The Seri system had both of these design principles