Identifying and Ranking the Factors Influencing Water Resource Consumption Management in Khuzestan Province: A Qualitative Approach

Abstract

The objective of the present article is to identify and rank the factors influencing water resource consumption management in Khuzestan Province using a qualitative approach. Data collection was conducted through library research and fieldwork in the form of interviews. The research method employed was qualitative, carried out through interviews with experts. The study involved 20 participants, including specialists, university professors in the field of water management, and managers from organizations involved in water resource management within Khuzestan Province. (Considering theoretical saturation, participants were selected based on their sufficient expertise in water consumption management.) Data analysis was performed using MAXQDA software, version 22. According to the experts, seven main factors influencing water consumption management were identified. Each of these seven factors included several sub-factors or components. The first factor was the implementation of proper non-structural principles, within which 15 sub-factors related to water consumption management were identified. The second factor was the implementation of proper structural principles, which included 17 sub-factors. The third factor was public awareness and cultural promotion in consumption management, which encompassed 13 sub-factors. The fourth factor focused on consumption management in the domestic sector, with 13 associated sub-factors. The fifth factor pertained to consumption management in the industrial sector, with 11 identified sub-factors. The sixth factor related to organizational planning, which included 13 sub-factors. The seventh factor concerned consumption management in the agricultural sector, within which 32 sub-factors were identified. Based on expert prioritization, the ranking of the factors influencing water consumption management in the Khuzestan plain was as follows: (1) implementation of proper non-structural principles, (2) consumption management in the industrial sector, (3) implementation of proper structural principles, (4) consumption management in the agricultural sector, (5) public awareness and cultural promotion, (6) consumption management in the domestic sector, and (7) organizational planning. The results regarding the significance of these factors indicated that all variables affecting water consumption management were statistically significant at the 95% confidence level using the system dynamics approach. This model demonstrates that the factors extracted from expert interviews have a substantial impact on water consumption management.