Institutional design for the comanagement of an urban harbor in New Zealand

Abstract

What factors affect the design of an institutional framework for stakeholder management to promote sustainable outcomes for ports in urban settings? In examining this research question, we characterize urban harbors as complex common property resource systems (CPRs). Complex CPRs differ from simple CPRs in several ways that highlight the need for, but also the difficulties of, integrated management that promotes sustainable outcomes. We review the literatures on locational conflicts, corporate social responsibility, and comanagement for insights that bear on this problem. We then examine the port on the Otago Harbour as a case study in shifting institutional arrangements in a complex CPR, focusing on long‐standing conflicts between the port company and the local community. Finally, we draw implications for the design of effective comanagement arrangements for ports located in dynamic and diverse communities.

Keywords:

• comanagement
• common pool resources
• CPRs
• Dunedin
• New Zealand
• NIMBY
• ports