Funciones del Mediador civil y mercantil y del mediador concursal.

The discussion, so far, has provided a clear insight into the various aspects of participation and the importance of incentives to enhance user participation in common property governance. Although the issue of participation is crucial, in the context of the stated goals of community forestry, household needs (in terms of the type of goods and services emanating from community forest management, including forest products and their quantity) may differ amongst households. Since incentives are a factor that motivates a user to participate more, they need to come from different sources and take many forms. Therefore, it is complex to understand the interactions of different incentives offered to individuals and communities, in relation to the environment that surrounds them (Thomson & Freudenberger, 1997). People make different choices when confronted by various incentives and this situation results in different levels of participation. Each member in a group faces a set of incentives and disincentives to participating in the resource governance, and their decision about how to participate depends on how these users weigh up those incentives. Therefore, despite having similar policy preferences, each household may or may not participate. Individual’s motives/needs and the incentives offered may significantly influence his/her participation decision.

94

The conceptual framework in this study thus assumes that a user’s level of participation in the community forestry governance is directly influenced by different types of incentives offered to the users by the CFUG. The incentives facing resource users (in a variety of social circumstances) are structured by the interactions of (i) the physical attributes of the resources; (ii) the characteristics of the community or user group; and (iii) the set of institutional arrangements or characteristics of the rules. Individuals react differently to the incentives they are offered and they adopt actions or strategies accordingly and look for choices that will result in patterns of participation and resource use. The conceptual framework that guides this analysis is presented in Figure 3.3. The interactions of these key-interrelated factors shape people’s participation in resource governance and management. A higher level of participation is more likely to be achieved, if a user household has been provided with optimal incentives (rational, social or normative) that match their needs/motives.

Figure 3.3: Conceptual framework for understanding the role of incentives on effective participation in resource governance and management

Adapted from Oakerson (1986); Ostrom (1990); Tang (1991); Thomson and Freudenberger (1997)

Incentives

Material, Social, Normative

Participation Outcomes Power to influence decision outcomes

Physical Attributes of Resources Attributes of Community or User Group Institutional Arrangements or Characteristics of Rules

95

Incentives are related to the resource itself and certain characteristics of resources create incentives for people to change their behaviour. Three key attributes of resources, namely, the feasibility of exclusion, the nature of consumption, and the provision of public goods and the free-riding problem, can influence the incentive structure facing resource users, and these incentives have an influence on the users’ participation decision on resource governance and management.

Similarly, another type of incentive is related to the community or user group within which the resource governance and management takes place. The different characteristics of the community or user group results in different incentives for people to govern and manage resources. The literature suggest that there are three key characteristics of a community or user group: socio-cultural structures and norms (caste system, dominance of patriarchy, family size); social stratification and alliances; and economic stratification and power relationships, which can play a significant role in improving people’s participation in resource governance and management.

Similarly, the literature suggest that different types of rules and their characteristics (and the incentives created by them) influence users’ participation behaviour in common property resource governance and management. These rules include formal and informal rules and the three hierarchies of rules: operational rules; collective decision-making rule; and constitutional rules. The structure of incentives facing resource users can be changed by changing the rules, and such interventions affect users’ decision to participate in resource governance and management.

A basic assumption that applies to this research is that incentives will have a positive impact on an individual’s attitudes and performance to participate in user group activities. Studies have revealed that there are complex interactions between motives and incentives, and that incentives result in a positive effect, when individuals receive the incentives they value, that is, incentives should not be provided when motives are low because an incentive is not desired at that time (e.g., Latham, 2007; Puffer & Meindl, 1992; Vroom, 1982). Therefore, this study further assumes that the type of incentives dealt with in this study match with the users’ corresponding motives — and that the users’ motives match with their group’s values and objectives.

97

CHAPTER FOUR

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

4.1 Introduction

This chapter offers an overview of the methodological approaches and procedures adopted for this research. The methodological approaches for this research are mixed methods of both quantitative and qualitative approaches. The chapter first discusses the study variables, data requirements and analytical model, followed by a brief description of the study areas. It then explains the data sources, data collection methods and sampling procedures, followed by the data analysis methods. The field visit schedule, data storage, security procedures and ethical considerations are also explained towards the end of the chapter.