Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
Department of Economic Development and Planning, Faculty of Economics and Management, University of Tabriz,Tabriz, Iran.
2
Department of Economic Development and Planning,Faculty of Economics and Management, University of Tabriz, Tabriz,Iran
Abstract
The present study was conducted with the aim of developing a conceptual model of institutional capacity to achieve sustainable water resources governance in Iran. This research is applied in terms of purpose and follows a mixed-method approach (qualitative–quantitative) in terms of methodology. In the qualitative phase, using the grounded theory method, data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews with 15 water sector experts, including managers, specialists, and university professors. Participants were selected purposefully using the snowball sampling method. The data were analyzed in three coding stages (open, axial, and selective) using MAXQDA software. The qualitative findings identified five main dimensions of institutional capacity: institutional context and relationships, institutional learning and knowledge, institutional integration, institutional ability, and institutional legal requirements. Moreover, six dimensions of sustainable water resources governance were identified: the political and institutional dimension, the technical and managerial dimension, the monitoring and information evaluation dimension, the social dimension, the economic dimension, and the environmental dimension. In the quantitative phase, a questionnaire was developed based on the qualitative results and the proposed conceptual model and was distributed among 156 individuals, including experts, managers, policymakers in water-related organizations, as well as university professors and researchers in the water sector. The quantitative data were analyzed and validated using structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) and Smart PLS software. The results of confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the convergent validity, composite reliability, and overall model fit. The outcome of this research is a localized and practical model that, through strengthening institutional capacity, enhancing inter-organizational coordination, and improving stakeholder participation, paves the way for achieving sustainable water governance in Iran.
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