A Comprehensive Taxonomy of Rules for Nuanced Analysis of Governance Systems
- Diego Arahuetes‐de la Iglesia
- Alicia Tenza‐Peral
- Laura Ximena Estévez‐Moreno
- Andrea Martín‐Suárez
- Francisco Javier Lacosta‐García
- Ismael Lare‐David
- Irene Pérez‐Ibarra
2026-07-16
Understanding how institutions shape collective action requires analytical tools that capture the complexity of governance arrangements. Ostrom's typology of rules provides a foundational framework for examining institutional configurations, yet limited specificity in rule types reduces its effectiveness in comparative analysis. To address this, we present a detailed classification of the seven rule types into subtypes, enhancing the study of institutional diversity and structure. Based on the initial description of the seven rule types, a systematic review of scientific articles, an analysis of written regulations, and an internal mutual exclusivity check, we propose a taxonomy that expands the seven types into subtypes. Utilizing these detailed subtypes enables a more comprehensive characterization of institutional configurations, thereby strengthening comparisons of governance systems.