Goal frames and nudge strategies influencing collective action in Ukay Indah low-cost housing, Malaysia

Purpose Weak governance and limited institutional oversight in low-cost housing schemes worldwide frequently lead to infrastructural decline, social fragmentation, and, in extreme cases, the emergence of slums. This paper examines how goal frames and behavioural nudge strategies shaped collective action in Ukay Indah, a Malaysian low-cost housing community lauded by state authorities for its self-organisational success despite structural constraints common to similar schemes. Design/methodology/approach A parallel mixed-methods approach was employed. Semi-structured interviews with 15 residents, community leaders, and policymakers explored how behavioural nudges sustained engagement and cooperation in collective action. Complementing this, quantitative analysis using Pearson’s correlation coefficients assessed the relationships between hedonic, gain, and normative goal frames and residents’ engagement in collective environmental practices. Findings Normative goal frames, when reinforced through context-specific nudges—such as public commitments, reputational mechanisms, and social cues—demonstrated the strongest positive correlation with collective behaviour. The findings indicate that Ukay Indah represents a rare case of sustained, resident-led governance within a low-cost housing context. Practical implications Embedding behavioural insights into housing policy may improve participatory outcomes in similarly constrained environments. Nudge strategies aligned with residents’ goal frames offer cost-effective, scalable tools to bolster grassroots initiatives. Originality/value This study advances the literature by integrating goal-framing theory with behavioural nudging in the context of low-income urban housing, positioning Ukay Indah as an illustrative model of adaptive, participatory governance for resilient urban development.