Institutional analysis of organizations active in the restoration of Lake Urmia: the application of the social network analysis approach

Abstract

This study aimed to analyse, using the social network analysis approach, the institutional organizations active in the restoration of Lake Urmia regarding the issues related to credit and management in the provinces of East Azerbaijan and West Azerbaijan. Forty relevant institutional organizations were identified and their communications and interactions were analysed using expert and key information. According to the results, the density index is low in the networks of organizations involved in issues related to credit and management. Results pertaining to issues of credit in the studied network revealed that certain institutions (Urmia Lake Restoration Program, Department of Natural Resources and Watershed of West Azerbaijan Province, Keshavarzi Bank and Urmia Lake Restoration Program, West Azerbaijan Province) had a higher impact (higher betweenness centrality) on others, but different institutions (Urmia Lake Restoration Program, educational and academic centres, West Azerbaijan Province Meteorological Department, and Department of Natural Resources and Watershed of West Azerbaijan Province) had a higher impact (higher betweenness centrality) on other institutions concerning issues related to management.