Using Institutional Mapping as a Tool for Managing Institutional Change Case of Iran's Renewable Energy Sector

The literatures on applied social science and public policy are full of references about institutional mapping and analysis. It represents the importance of this approach and the issues which are to be addressed. In fact, in order to get involve a variety of institutions, determining the key players, evaluate probable support or opposition between them as well as to specify the roles of every institution and institutional interrelationships, all policy projects require strategic and tactical justifications [1]. Institutional mapping is a proper tool for institutional change management. Institutional change refers to shift in the whole category or organizations. Institutional change is defined as changes in the thoughts which control institutions. When this change occurs, rules, practices and perhaps organizations will be changed too[2].When using institutional mapping as a tool for management of institutional change, we should be aware that not only the contents but also the method of illustration in an institutional map depend upon the activity at hand. For example, the resultant map for developing institutional change strategies is different from the one which is based on the activity of creating a general social theory. The ability of an institutional map to direct the strategic decision-making determines its validity [1].Despite its importance and its widespread application in policymaking and institutional change practices, the application of this tool hasn't been adequately illustrated in institutional change case studies. This paper is an attempt to explain the applications of institutional mapping in management of institutional change, and to describe Iran's renewable energy sector.The paper is structured as follows. In the next section, the relevant literature will be reviewed. Then, we discuss about the case of Iran's renewable energy sector and apply institutional mapping tool in this case. Finally, concluding remarks and further investigations will be provided.