| Entities | Examples | Potential problems |
| A. Resource | Water source | Uncertainty |
| Fishery | Complexity/uncertainty | |
| B. Resource users | Farmers using irrigation | Stealing water, getting a free ride on maintenance |
| Fishers harvesting from inshore fishery | Over harvesting | |
| C. Public infrastructure providers | Executive and council of local users’ association | Internal conflict or indecision about which polices to adopt |
| Government bureau | Information loss | |
| D. Public infrastructure | Engineering works | Wear out over time |
| Institutional rules | Memory loss over time, deliberate cheating | - |
| External environment | Weather, economy, political system | Sudden changes as well as slow changes that are not noticed |