The original eight design principles focus on institutional arrangements, including: (1) well-defined boundaries of the resource and resource users; (2) congruence between appropriation and provision rules and local conditions; (3) most individuals affected by operational rules can participate in modifying the operational rules; (4) monitors who are accountable to the appropriators; (5) use of graduated sanctions; (6) low-cost conflict resolution mechanisms; (7) minimal recognition of rights to organize; and (8) nested enterprises (Ostrom 1990, 90).
