An introduction to network analysis and its applications in management and policy-making of natural resources (study of fourth development plan)

Development of integrated view in natural resources management and policy-making after policy failures has caused the specialists to use new methods in order to discover the disadvantages of previous policies and plans. "Network Analysis" is one of these new methods that focus on the relations between factors and analyze them through network delineation. Networking provides the ability of investigating the relationship between problems with other related problems; because in today's complex world there is not a distinct border among the problems. There are a few studies related to natural resources and environment that have used this method. In Iran, this method is new and its numerous applications are almost unknown. This paper tried to introduce this method and its applications by delineation and analysis of the network of legal collaborations among organization that are related to natural resources in Fourth Development Plan. UCINET and Net draw software’s were used to calculate the degree and between’s centralities and also to delineate the network. Results showed that power distribution among related organizations is not equal and there was not a networking approach in the codification of this legal document. In addition, Network Analysis has a high efficiency in evaluation of management and policy plans and showing their disadvantaged. Finally, it was proposed that natural resources managers and policy-makers use Network Analysis potentials in evaluation of previous policies and plans and use their strengths and weaknesses in codification of next policies and plans.