Technical Policy Briefing Notes - 8
Social Network Analysis
Key Messages
Policy Briefs
Social Network Analysis
Key Messages
- There is increasing
interest in the appraisal of options, as adaptation moves from theory
to practice. In response, a number of existing and new tools are being
developed and applied including methods that address various
sources of uncertainty in making a decision.
- The
FP7 MEDIATION project has undertaken a detailed review of these tools,
and has tested them in a series of case studies. It has assessed their
applicability for adaptation and analysed how they consider
uncertainty. The findings have been used to provide information and
guidance for the MEDIATION Adaptation Platform and are summarised in a
set of technical policy briefing notes.
- Social Network Analysis (SNA)
analyses social networks and institutional actors (organizations,
individuals, interest groups, etc.) and their linkages
(socio-institutional relationships), mapping the influence and the
exchange of information to assess adaptive capacity.
- SNA
explores socio-institutional processes, and identifies the context and
governance around decisions. It highlights institutional arrangements
and structures, the decision framing of actors, their approach to
dealing with information (confidence and uncertainty), the competence
for action, and the laws, regulations, values and norms that are likely
to guide decisions.
- The
approach has high relevance for adaptation. It builds on the growing
consensus that adaptation is a process, i.e. that implementing
adaptation involves more than a set of technical options. There are
important barriers to adaptation that are part of existing
socio-institutional processes and these can be revealed and
subsequently negotiated through SNA. It can also investigate the
evaluation of uncertainty, i.e. how decisions are framed and subsequent
choice of appraisal tools.
- The
MEDIATION review has considered the strengths and weakness of the
approach for adaptation.
- The
main strength is SNA provides a formalised method to visualise
stakeholder and knowledge networks, and in doing so, to understand them
in the context of future action. It provides information on
institutional actors and relationships, their decision framing, and the
influence and exchange of information for progressing adaptation and
overcoming barriers. It can also relate these to qualitative metrics
and use these to benchmark progress towards outcomes. Qualitative SNA
is quick and relatively easy to do and encourages participation across
diverse viewpoints and actors. Quantitative SNA extends to provide
correlations on key variables to further understanding.
- The
potential weaknesses involve the subjective bias, including
participation bias for qualitative SNA, and the high survey size and
time needed for quantitative SNA.
- Previous
applications of SNA for adaptation have been reviewed, and Mediation
case study applications are summarised.
- The review and case studies provide useful information on the range of adaptation problem types where SNA might be appropriate, as well as data needs, resource requirements and good practice lessons. The approach has wide applicability and is considered useful for adaptation planning and the links to choices of tools. Good practice suggestions are included, such as the need for balanced representation in qualitative SNA, and the need for high sample sizes for quantitative SNA.
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