Using social network analysis to assess climate change professionals’ communications in Iran

Abstract Increased cooperation of an interdisciplinary group of climate change professionals as a social network can play a crucial role in adaptation to climate change. To investigate this relationship at the country-scale, this study uses a case study in Iran in order to 1) measure the cooperative relationship among climate change professionals using the network analysis approach, and; 2) analyze the potential of the network in promoting adaptation measures based on sustainable development. Social network analysis, which is both a quantitative and qualitative method of grounded theory was used to analyze the data. Data collection was performed using two questionnaires including network analysis and a survey, as well as a number of semi-structured interviews with the climate change professionals. The data was collected from climate change professionals including a sample of 55 individuals who were surveyed as a complete network. The network relationship results have been analyzed using different tests at three (micro, macro and the interactions between the two) levels. The results have shown that the connectedness of the network is 23.7%, with 42.4% mutual links. The transitivity rate in the network is 51.39%, which determines the possibility of each professional communicating with a third party. According to the normalized degree index, 34.29% of the cases are in contact with other researchers in the network and 53.15% received a connection from others. Grounded theory analysis showed that five core categories including social capital, managerial factors, research, relations, and coordination affected the quality and utility of Iranian climate change professionals’ network.

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (23) ◽  
pp. 6722
Author(s):  
Shenghua Zhou ◽  
S. Thomas Ng ◽  
Dezhi Li ◽  
Jiankun Zhang ◽  
Jie Fan ◽  
...  

China currently has an elderly population of 249 million with over 97% of them ending up aging in place. Although various regional pilot programs have been conducted, a sustainable aging-in-place system has not been established to effectively and efficiently provide aging services in many cities of China. The characteristics of stakeholder networks in the aging-in-place systems have not attracted great attention from researchers. This research applies social network analysis to characterize the interactions of stakeholders in aging-in-place systems to facilitate cooperation and coordination amongst them. Using Nanjing as a case study, 23 stakeholders in Nanjing’s aging-in-place system are identified, such as the Aging Affairs Committee, Aging-in-Place Service Association, and aging-in-place service centers; and then the relationship networks of these stakeholders in terms of communication, supervision, and trust are developed and analyzed. The results show that the aging-in-place system suffers from certain defects, including the loose connection of government departments, redundant information channels, low trustworthiness of certain aging-in-place service centers, poor credibility of third-party training and assessment institutions, and excess power of the industry association. To tackle these issues, a wide spectrum of actionable measures applicable to Nanjing’s conditions, as well as high-level policy implications for other cities of China, are proposed for augmenting the communication, supervision, and trust among stakeholder groups.


SAGE Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 215824402093181
Author(s):  
Carmen Pedroza-Gutiérrez ◽  
Juan M. Hernández

This study aims to construct a theoretical framework to analyze the elements of the network structure and the relationship system within the seafood supply chain. The scope of the investigation is to evaluate how these elements influence the flow of products and the efficiency of the seafood supply chain and why these social interactions can create value and enhance competitive advantage. The model combines the resource- and knowledge-based view and the social network analysis applied to seafood supply chains. To demonstrate the application of the model, two theoretical examples and a real case study of the Mercado del Mar in Guadalajara, Mexico, are used. Primary data are obtained from semi-structured interviews, social network analysis metrics, and qualitative analysis. Findings are based on the analysis of theoretical examples and must be considered with caution. Nevertheless, the observations in the examples and case study provide new arguments to the relationship between the pattern of interrelationship and the efficiency of a supply chain. This study emphasizes the necessity of combining quantitative and qualitative analyses to understand and explain real-life supply networks.


2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (19) ◽  
pp. 5499 ◽  
Author(s):  
Goritz ◽  
Kolleck ◽  
Jörgens

Education is considered an essential tool for achieving sustainability-related goals. In this regard, education for sustainable development (ESD) and climate change education (CCE) have become prominent concepts. The central characteristics of both concepts influence the non-hierarchical network governance structure that has formed around them: (1) their international origin, (2) the conceptual ambiguity that surrounds them, and (3) the limited implementing power of international organizations who developed these concepts. Hence, networks are essential to ESD and CCE, however, only few studies have used social network analysis (SNA) techniques to analyze their governance structure. The aim of this article is to illustrate how to use SNA, based on Twitter data, as an approach to examine the governance structure that has developed around ESD and CCE. We conduct an illustrative SNA, using Twitter data during three global climate change summits (2015-2017) to examine CCE-specific debates and identify actors exerting the most influence. We find that international organizations and international treaty secretariats are most influential across all years of the analysis and, moreover, are represented most often. These findings show that using SNA based on Twitter data offers promising possibilities to better understand the governance structure and processes around both concepts.


2019 ◽  
Vol 53 ◽  
pp. 4-4
Author(s):  
Katarzyna Czernek-Marszałek ◽  
Justyna Majewska

Purpose. Evaluation of the importance of spatial proximity for undertaking business cooperation in a tourist region. Method. Agglomeration economy analysis was combined with the network approach (i.e. Social Network Analysis). The method of case study was used – cooperation between various entities (actors) in five tourist municipalities united in the “Beskid Five” agreement. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 225 entities selected in purposeful sampling. Additionally, using the appropriate software, based on postal address and data on GPS coordinates of the location of the interviewed entities, were obtained. To analyse the data, some parameters of network analysis were used (i.e. the degree centrality – i.e. in-out and out-degree) and multidimensional data analysis. In particular, the logistic regression method was used, i.e. binary logic regressions were carried out in order to determine the significance of spatial proximity for undertaking cooperation and its intensity in a tourist region. In addition, Moran Ii local statistics were determined in order to measure the occurrence and direction of spatial autocorrelation (spatial correlation coefficient within Local Indicators of Spatial Associations, LISA). Visualisation techniques were also implemented in the work. Findings. In the research, it has been shown that spatial proximity is an important factor affecting cooperation in a tourist region, because it increases the likelihood of cooperation, although this relationship is not linear. Research and conclusion limitations. The study did not cover all entities from the region, but only the so-called key actors in a network. The region selected for research is so specific that the obtained results cannot be considered as representative for other regions in Poland or in the world. In addition, cooperation was analysed without division into various forms, which may also have influence on the obtained results. Practical implications. Entrepreneurs wishing to gain economic benefits regarding cooperation should consider the location and spatial arrangement of connections between potential partners of this cooperation, taking its various forms into account. In addition, by stimulating cooperation between entrepreneurs, local authorities should look at their (municipality office) location in the tourist region and the resulting spatial and functional structure of links between entities, which may determine the scope, intensity and level of effectiveness of the cooperation undertaken. Originality. To show the importance of geographic proximity with reference to intensity of cooperation in a tourist region, analysis of the agglomeration economies and social networks was combined for the first time. Type of paper. An article presenting the results of empirical research.


Author(s):  
Shepherd Muchuru ◽  
Godwell Nhamo

Purpose This paper aims to investigate and review adaptation measures in the livestock sector from 21 African countries through literature survey and grounded theory approaches. The adaptation themes that emerged captured essence of measures and experience drawn from varied country submissions and contexts instituted to make the livestock sector climate compatible in as far as adaptation is concerned. Design/methodology/approach Literature survey approach was used on the impacts of climate change on livestock and a review of the submitted adaptation measures. The study used grounded theory approach to derive meaning from the retrieved information. The grounded theory was derived inductively through systematic collection and analysis of data pertaining to the submitted National Communications reports. The retrieved themes were then examined and interpreted to give meaning and draw conclusions through coding, conceptualizing, categorizing and theorizing. Findings Results identify eight adaptation themes: carrying capacity and policies; integrated pasture management; capacity building, extension, training, awareness and information sharing; livestock breeding, diversification and intensification; disease, vectors and parasites management; technology, innovation, research and development; alternative livelihood; and water supply. The findings show that African Governments have been implementing effective adaptation measures for food security through building a climate resilient livestock production system. Originality/value This study is one of the first to lead to recommendations that decision- and policymakers, private sectors, relevant stakeholders and government officials and scientists should play a key role in ensuring that adaptation measures reach farmers, herders at grassroots level. In addition, governments should create an enabling environment (policies) in climate change adaptation to improve food security. These recommendations might be helpful in many communities where adaptation to climate change is a pressing issue.


2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 77-97 ◽  
Author(s):  
Judith Gelernter ◽  
Kathleen M. Carley

Spatiotemporal social network analysis shows relationships among people at a particular time and location. This paper presents an algorithm that mines text for person and location words and creates connections among words. It shows how this algorithm output, when chunked by time intervals, may be visualized by third-party social network analysis software in the form of standard network pin diagrams or geographic maps. Its data sample comes from newspaper articles concerning the 2006 Darfur crisis in Sudan. Given an immense data sample, it would be possible to use the algorithm to detect trends that would predict the next geographic center(s) of influence and types of actors (foreign dignitaries or domestic leaders, for example). This algorithm should be widely generalizable to many text domains as long as the external resources are modified accordingly.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 1275 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eleni Karali ◽  
Dragana Bojovic ◽  
Gabriela Michalek ◽  
Carlo Giupponi ◽  
Reimund Schwarze

Communication and collaboration are critical for designing and implementing responses to climate change impacts and related disasters. This acknowledgement has increased interest in understanding social and institutional networks for climate change adaptation (CCA) and disaster risk reduction (DRR). In this study, we used Social Network Analysis (SNA) to explore institutional interactions within and across the communities of the aforementioned domains in Europe. Firstly, we investigated the type and intensity of interactions. We calculated SNA metrics to assess the roles of different actors and applied cluster analysis to identify actors with similar patterns of connections. SNA showed that communication is often more intensive within the two communities, while collaboration is frequent around topics related to both CCA and DRR. Cluster analysis revealed that actors tied with DRR were more closely connected, while actors tied with CCA and those with mixed connections showed no obvious clustering affinity. The European Climate Adaptation Platform, Climate-ADAPT, had the highest value for various SNA metrics, reflecting its popularity in the network and its potential for enhancing interactions among its actors. Finally, SNA was complemented by qualitative interviews, which emphasised the importance of connecting CCA and DRR in organisational mission and vision statements.


2016 ◽  
pp. 373-395
Author(s):  
Judith Gelernter ◽  
Kathleen M. Carley

Spatiotemporal social network analysis shows relationships among people at a particular time and location. This paper presents an algorithm that mines text for person and location words and creates connections among words. It shows how this algorithm output, when chunked by time intervals, may be visualized by third-party social network analysis software in the form of standard network pin diagrams or geographic maps. Its data sample comes from newspaper articles concerning the 2006 Darfur crisis in Sudan. Given an immense data sample, it would be possible to use the algorithm to detect trends that would predict the next geographic center(s) of influence and types of actors (foreign dignitaries or domestic leaders, for example). This algorithm should be widely generalizable to many text domains as long as the external resources are modified accordingly.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiayuan Liu ◽  
Jianzhou Yan

PurposeThis study examines the relationships between structural holes, guanxi and knowledge sharing among groups of stakeholders within a Chinese destination network.Design/methodology/approachThis study conducted surveys, social network analysis and semi-structured interviews to gather data from the stakeholders of a popular Chinese tourist destination to test its hypotheses.FindingsKnowledge sharing within the destination network was impeded by structural holes but facilitated by guanxi. Furthermore, the impeding effect of structural holes on knowledge sharing is alleviated by guanxi.Originality/valueThis study illustrates the ways that stakeholders exploit structural holes and guanxi to promote knowledge sharing, and thus offers novel insights into how destination network structures affect the efficacy of stakeholders when it comes to sharing knowledge and promoting their destination.


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