Organizational stakeholders network analysis in integrated policy-making and management of Garmsar plain water resources

The multiplicity of organizational stakeholders along with different changing policies,
attitudes, priorities, capacities and interests towards the issue of water and lack of a
comprehensive system for identifying the role and recognizing of their structural
relationships in the relevant network stakeholders are as the most fundamental challenges
facing the participatory and integrated water resources management. Thus, the identification
and analysis of organizational stakeholders, as the most important elements of policymaking,
planning and implementation of related activities, are considered as one of the
requirements of integrated management and the establishment of good governance of water
resources. Based on network analysis method, the structural aspects of organizational
stakeholders' network can be assessed with a holistic and measurable attitude. Their role
and position for the establishment of an integrated and coordinated water resources
management need to be evaluated. In the present study conducted in relation to the
management of water resources in Garmsar plain region, the role of network analysis was
studied in planning and organizing of integrated management of water resources based on
cooperation. To this end, the quantitative network analysis method was used to examine the
structural pattern of cooperation and exchange of information at the executive level of water
resources management. In this study, the organizational stakeholders involved in water
resources management at ecological verge of Garmsar plain were identified according to a
surveying approach. To achieve a deeper insight on inter-organizational relationships in the
water resources management network, the relevant stakeholders were divided into three
development, protective and intermediate subgroups based on their role and position in the
network management of water resources. Then, through semi-structured interviews, a link
between exchange of information and cooperation in this network was made by examining
the components of organizational integrity and power analysis by measuring different
indicators of complete network at macro, sub-group and micro levels of the network. The
rates of cohesion, sustainability and resiliency of the network were assessed based on the
indices of density, tie reciprocity, transitivity and geodesic distance. The power structure
was determined based on the measures of degree centrality, betweenness centrality,
eigenvector centrality and beta eigenvector centrality. According to the results, in the
organizational stakeholders' network of water resources management in the study area, the
rates of organizational cohesion and network stability are poor; the speed of the flow of
information and resources is low, and the centralization rate between organizations and
subgroups is high .In addition, the results indicate some conflicts, especially between
development agencies and conservation organizations in the process of cooperation for
shared management of water resources. The results of centrality indices in the network also
showed the imbalance of power structure in the network of organizational stakeholders
involved in water resources management in the study area. Based on the results,
strengthening the reciprocal relations and interactions among stakeholders, in particular the
subgroup of intermediate institutions, strengthening the organizational coherence and
decentralization among the organizational stakeholders are as measures necessary to
establish a partnership system and good governance of water resources in the study area.
The results also suggest that analyzing the inter-organizational relationships based on
network analysis criteria and indicators can be assessed, and the water management
structure can be analyzed and evaluated based on these indicators.

Organizational stakeholders network analysis in integrated policy-making and management of Garmsar plain water resources Keywords:

Network analysis , Organizational stakeholders , Garmsar plain , Integrated management of water resources , Water governance