Network administrators facilitate information sharing among communal forest organizations in Thailand

Abstract

The exchange of information among communal forest organizations is potentially beneficial for the creation and transfer of knowledge, but the establishment and maintenance of links between distant communities can be challenging. Network facilitators can help to establish and strengthen ties or collect and relay information among organizations. For this purpose, communal forest organizations in Thailand organized provincial network committees in collaboration with the Royal Forest Department (RFD). This policy represents a unique example of inter-organizational network administration in the context of natural resource management. The objective of this study was to determine how these network committees influenced information sharing among communal forest organizations.A network survey was conducted to gain information about the flow of information between community forest organizations in three Thai provinces, Chumphon, Kanchanaburi, and Trat, which differed in network maturity and activity. Exponential random graph modelling was used to compare the influence of network committees on the information flow among geographically dispersed community organizations while accounting for structural network processes.Results indicated that trust-generating network structures, specifically network triangles and strong ties, facilitated information flow. However, geographical distances significantly impeded direct information transmission between communities. Network committees played an important role in connecting local clusters beyond geographical limits. The structural position of committee presidents showed that they coordinate the provincial network by bridging gaps between distant organizations or concentrating all information flow in a centralized position. Presidents increased the efficiency and resilience of information networks by acting as a central information hub. The findings suggest that a cohesive network committee can help to establish a strong network among all communal organizations. Network committees have the potential to facilitate the development of a cohesive inter-communal network given sufficient skills and resources.