Assessment of the Network of Social Trust Structures Based on Network Analysis Method: Study of Local Stakeholders of Rangelands - Yazd Province

Trust has been identified repeatedly as a key component that supports adaptive governance and collaborative decision-making systems. In this study, the evaluation of trust based on participatory management system was conducted by examining the structure of social relations of local livestock users in the form of an existing social network. The strategies used to collect relationship metrics, complete network method and research information were collected through interview and network analysis questionnaire. The indices of density, size, centrality, degree of centralization, and concepts of cut points and structural holes were analyzed in this study. The results show that access to the information within local groups is more homogeneous than intergroup relationships in low density and low cohesion trust networks and at the macro level the network stability is weak (reduction of network dynamics). The existence of structural holes and the low number of important interfaces in the network have also made it difficult to maintain and develop communication and transfer information between different groups. Among local groups, the trust distribution is weaker than receiving trust. This is the result of a higher focus on external centralization than internal centralization. In order to achieve dynamics and stability, it is necessary that the local livestock participatory management system in Yazd Province  adopt strategies to enhance social trust as a key to resolving the deficiency.