Groundwater management in Iran is complex, challenged by exacerbating water scarcity and groundwater depletion. Despite changes in the country’s water policies and laws, groundwater depletion has intensified. This study analyses two key groundwater laws, the Equitable Distribution of Water Resources Law and the Ta’een Taklif Law, to systematically identify the challenges within these laws that may accelerate depletion.

Using Institutional Grammar, the laws were analyzed according to ADICO components: Attribute, Deontic, alm, Condition, Or else (ADICO). The analysis reveals that both laws are norm-based, with limited enforcement mechanisms. Attribute Components reveal a government-centric approach, making the government the primary actor and well users passive. alm components indicate that unauthorized wells, part of the current problematic situation, may eventually be legalized. Condition Components are vague and contradictory, hindering effective enforcement. While the laws establish obligations (Deontic), they lack specified penalties (Or else) for non-compliance.

The paper concludes with the need for a comprehensive change in water policy leading to laws that maintain a balanced integration of norms and rules to create a robust groundwater management.

Institutions shape economic outcomes, a fact recognized by Nobel Price winners Daron Acemoglu & James A. Robinson, Douglas North, and Oliver Williamson. In entrepreneurial ecosystems, governance structures define interactions among actors, influencing innovation and cooperation. Despite growing research on entrepreneurial ecosystems, governance remains underexplored. This study identifies and analyzes modes of governance in ecosystems using the Institutional Grammar method (2.0), a tool for analyzing institutional design that has become much more important in recent years.

Entrepreneurial ecosystems are dynamic networks of actors, institutions, and resources that foster interaction, serendipity, and innovation. Heilbronn – not very well known internationally – was selected as a case since it now seeks to become Europe´s leading AI Ecosystem, driven by tremendous investments.

Our research question is: What is the governance approach of the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Heilbronn, and how should it be developed to enhance productive interactions? Our study identifies and discusses governance patterns in the emerging ecosystem. It contributes to governance theory by offering a better understanding of governance in entrepreneurial ecosystems and provides practical recommendations for policymakers and stakeholders to enhance governance mechanisms.

This IGRI Working Group focuses on discussing the design of efficient tools for collecting rules-in-use from ethnographic research, including in-depth interviews, focus groups, or participant observation. The goal is to create a protocol for collecting and later using the grammar to codify rules-in-use. The specific objectives are:

1) Share experiences in collecting rules-in-use

2) Design the elements of an interview/focus group guide to correctly collect institutional statements, maximizing the number of grammar elements and minimizing the need to use “by default” conditions.

3) Discuss rewards and sanctions in rules, norms, and strategies (direct, emotional, and tangible consequences).

4) Design an open access protocol for collecting and analyzing institutional statements from qualitative ethnographic research.

Activities will include participating in the online meetings, sharing experiences, and collaboratively creating the protocol for the study of rules-in-use. The protocol will be open access and co-authored by all members of this working group who actively participated in the meetings and writing of the protocol.