Coding Databases

Welcome to the Common-Pool-Resource (CPR) Database

The CPR database was developed in the 1980s by Elinor Ostrom and her collaborators. It contains coded answers to specific questions on a set of forms used to systematically analyze 86 case studies of social-ecological systems. The data is organized into tables corresponding to ten forms: Country, Region, Time (CRT); Document Citation (DOC); Location (LOCATION); Operational Level (OPLEVEL); Operational Rules (OPRULES); Organizational Inventory (ORGINVEN); Organizational Structure (ORGSTRUCT); Appropriation Resource (RESOURCE); Case Screening Form (SCREENER); and Subgroup (SUBGROUP).

Each form contains variables representing answers to specific questions. Hover over a variable name to see its description. The SES Library also translates these coded variables back into prose in the CPR reports for linked case studies, making it possible to review an individual case quickly. This page provides access to the CPR raw data for comparative statistical analysis across subsets of the 86 cases.

To generate data:

1. Select a table from a "Table" drop-down menu. Use "Add Table" to include additional tables.
2. Select the variables you want to include using the checkboxes. Hover over a variable name to see its description.
3. Click "Run Query" when you have finished making your selections.

The results appear below the query controls, with a maximum of 1,000 rows. Hover over a column heading to view detailed documentation when it is available. Click "Download CSV" to save the selected data for use in a statistical application or spreadsheet.