Computer-implemented systems and methods for determining whether to authorize one or more operations with respect to resource objects. A system and method can include receiving a request that would involve an operation with respect to a resource object. The requested resource object may have multiple associations with other objects. One or more data stores are used to store interrelationships among resource objects, authorization-related objects, and access permission information. A comparison is performed using permissions and the requester's access credential information. The comparison is used to determine whether to permit the operation with respect to the resource object.