The purpose of this paper is to argue that the capability approach can benefit from thinking in institutional economics. If the locus of the capability approach is moved from the individual to groups or communities, then it is imperative that institutions (conceived as formal and informal rules) be explicitly considered when applying the framework, particularly when social relations matter, as in microcredit or poverty alleviation. Rules underpin transactions and behaviour in society, so it stands to reason that capability improvement, or its lack, be examined from the vantage point of rules as understood by institutional economics. Applying institutional economics to the capability approach will open up different ways of analysing capabilities in communities.

本文的目的是论证能力方法可以从制度经济学的思考中受益。如果能力方法的源头从个人转移到群体或社区，那么当应用框架时，尤其是当社会关系很重要时，例如在小额信贷或贫困中，必须明确考虑制度（被视为正式和非正式规则）缓解。规则是社会交易和行为的基础，因此有理由从机构经济学所理解的规则的有利角度来考察能力的提高或不足。将制度经济学应用于能力方法将开辟分析社区能力的不同方法。