TY - JOUR
T1 - Sustainable rangeland management in Southwest Iran
T2 - Understanding changes in experts' attitudes toward livelihood alternatives
AU - Khedri Gharibvand, Hojatollah
AU - Azadi, Hossein
AU - Gebremeskel, Dereje Teklemariam
AU - Ebrahimi, Ataollah
AU - Omidzadeh Ardali, Elham
AU - Van Acker, Veronique
AU - Van Eetvelde, Veerle
AU - De Maeyer, Philippe
AU - Witlox, Frank
PY - 2019/5
Y1 - 2019/5
N2 - The importance of knowledge sharing, as an integral part of decision making, has been highly acknowledged by many authors. However, the process in which knowledge sharing should be conducted has remained a debatable issue. In this study, changes in experts’ attitudes, as a result of the knowledge-sharing process, in the context of rangeland management were assessed. We demonstrated a three-step knowledge-sharing process while recognizing collaborative knowledge sharing systems, which involves knowledge-sharing tools including face-to-face and virtual approaches. The process was applied to explore experts’ attitudes regarding livelihood alternatives in the Bazoft region of southwestern Iran. Sixty experts were selected from three groups categorized as key local stakeholders, practitioners, and scientists. First, the experts were independently given the task of ranking livelihood alternatives. Next, for a better understanding of alternatives and enhancing their view, additional knowledge and information were provided. Thereafter, their attitudes in the final step were assessed. According to the findings, change in the experts’ attitudes could take place, which eventually resulted in the prioritization of livelihood alternatives to approach sustainable rangeland management (SRM). The synergy of experts’ knowledge, which can be realized through a collaborative knowledge sharing process, can be further pursued by devising a workable policy framework to approach SRM.
AB - The importance of knowledge sharing, as an integral part of decision making, has been highly acknowledged by many authors. However, the process in which knowledge sharing should be conducted has remained a debatable issue. In this study, changes in experts’ attitudes, as a result of the knowledge-sharing process, in the context of rangeland management were assessed. We demonstrated a three-step knowledge-sharing process while recognizing collaborative knowledge sharing systems, which involves knowledge-sharing tools including face-to-face and virtual approaches. The process was applied to explore experts’ attitudes regarding livelihood alternatives in the Bazoft region of southwestern Iran. Sixty experts were selected from three groups categorized as key local stakeholders, practitioners, and scientists. First, the experts were independently given the task of ranking livelihood alternatives. Next, for a better understanding of alternatives and enhancing their view, additional knowledge and information were provided. Thereafter, their attitudes in the final step were assessed. According to the findings, change in the experts’ attitudes could take place, which eventually resulted in the prioritization of livelihood alternatives to approach sustainable rangeland management (SRM). The synergy of experts’ knowledge, which can be realized through a collaborative knowledge sharing process, can be further pursued by devising a workable policy framework to approach SRM.
KW - CLIMATE-CHANGE
KW - MODEL
KW - CONSERVATION
KW - PERCEPTIONS
KW - RESILIENCE
KW - KNOWLEDGE
KW - SYSTEMS
KW - collaborative knowledge-sharing systems
KW - collaborative research
KW - participatory decision making
KW - rangeland degradation
KW - team knowledge
KW - vulnerability
U2 - 10.1016/j.rama.2019.01.005
DO - 10.1016/j.rama.2019.01.005
M3 - Journal article
SN - 1550-7424
VL - 72
SP - 433
EP - 445
JO - Rangeland Ecology & Management
JF - Rangeland Ecology & Management
IS - 3
ER -