Natural Resources Governance

Natural Resources Governance

Analysis of the Urban Water Governance Network Structure in Tehran: Identification of Key Actors and Governance Regime

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Samira Mohammadian 1
Mehdi Ghorbani 1
Arash Malekian 1
Aboutaleb Mohammadi 2
Majid Rahimi 3
1 Department of Reclamation of Arid and Mountainous Regions, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran.
2 Tehran City Studies and Planning Center, Tehran Municipality, Tehran, Iran.
3 Social Business Institute, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
10.22059/jnrg.2025.102732
Abstract
This study analyzes the collaboration network among organizational stakeholders involved in urban water governance in the metropolitan city of Tehran. The data were collected using a questionnaire designed to capture cooperation relationships, and network-level indicators such as density, degree centralization, reciprocity, and transitivity were calculated. Additionally, actor-level indicators including in-degree centrality (representing actor power), out-degree centrality (representing dependency), betweenness centrality (representing control over information flow), and closeness centrality (representing access to knowledge and resources) were assessed. The results indicate that Tehran’s urban water collaboration network has a moderate density and a significant degree of centralization, reflecting limited interactions and concentration of power among key actors. Based on the network-level indices, the urban water governance regime in Tehran was identified as fragmented, indicating dispersed power and lack of full coordination among stakeholders. Key actors such as the Regional Water Company, the Department of Environmental Protection, and the Tehran Governor’s Office were identified, highlighting their critical roles in urban water resource management. The findings of this research provide valuable insights for improving policymaking and designing collaborative mechanisms among organizations involved in urban water governance, paving the way for more integrated and effective governance structures.
Keywords
Urban Water Governance
Social Network Analysis
Key Actors
Governance Regime
Collaboration Network
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Natural Resources Governance
Volume 1, Issue 4 - Serial Number 4
Spring 2025
Pages 389-400