Visualizing dynamic capabilities as adaptive capacity for municipal water governance

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Public Policy
• Urban Planning

Background:

• Climate change poses significant risks to municipal water systems.
• Innovation in public sector water management has historically lagged.
• Understanding factors driving municipal water system adaptation is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze municipal water governance and innovation in response to climate change in Oklahoma.
• To identify key drivers of innovativeness in water systems.
• To visualize the relationship between dynamic capabilities, policy, and infrastructure adaptation.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative geographic information system (GIS) developed using ArcMap 10.3.
• Fieldwork including interviews and site observations in 38 Oklahoma cities.
• Analysis of socio-economic factors, policy influence, and risk perception.

Main Results:

• Innovativeness in water systems is directly linked to dynamic capabilities.
• Population size, income, and decision-maker education indirectly influence innovation rates.
• Some municipalities demonstrate surplus adaptation capacity, while others translate capacity into efficient innovation.

Conclusions:

• Digitalized GIS visualizations offer insights into water governance successes and failures.
• Findings highlight the utility of digitalization for sustainable water infrastructure solutions.
• Educating citizens and decision-makers on climate adaptation strategies is essential.