An analysis of the knowledge sharing processes of the yacht building cluster of Antalya Free Trade Zone

This thesis aims to find out the formal and informal knowledge sharing patterns of yacht building firms operating at the Antalya Free Trade Zone. The study does not attempt to prove that these firms form a cluster, but assumes that there is a developing cluster of yacht building firms in the region and tries to test the assumptions of the early clustering literature relating to the knowledge based competitive power created by the physical proximity of firms, especially depending on the informal knowledge transfers among firms. This is in contrast to the findings of the recent studies on clustering firms, which indicate that knowledge is not distributed homogeneously among firms and there are many other factors that have an impact on the degree of benefits derived from clustering by the individual firms.The concept of clustering has increasingly become a topic of importance discussed intensively in the economic development plans and also in the academic literature during the last 20 years. The factors behind this increased interest in clusters are related to their positive impact on regional development, innovation and competitive power of business firms. The literature on clusters and the studies conducted indicate that clusters trigger economic growth and innovation, but such positive contributions are made possible by the dynamics motivated through the knowledge shared in the formal and informal networks among firms. There is a growing literature on the different levels of local, national and international networks that cluster firms are involved in, to find out the patterns that impact on innovativeness and competitive power most.The research of this study was conducted in the yacht building sector at the Antalya Free Trade Zone. Two separate studies, one qualitative the other quantitative, were conducted on these firms to find out the pattern of formal contract based knowledge sharing with the suppliers, customers, outsourcing firms and other cooperating firms, and the informal knowledge sharing of the technical personnel. The first part was investigated through a semi structured in depth interrview with a manager informant about the operations of the firm, and the second part was investigated through a structured questionnaire filled through an interview technique with the technical personnel (engineers, architects, technicians) employed in the yacht building process. Data collected through these techniques provided a rich bas efor describing the formal contract based knowledge sharing in the networks of each firm, the knowledge sharing among managers of firms in the cluster and also the informal knowledge sharing in the social Networks of the technical personnel.The findings of the study indicated that there was an extensive knowledge sharing through formal conract based Networks of firms operating in the region; the knowledge shared among firms in the cluster was rather explicit information type shared in informal contacts among upper level managers; the technical personnel predominantly preferred to consult to other technical personnel in his/her team or firm in order to solve a technical problem or to make an improvement; the knowledge shared informally among technical personnel of firms in the region was rather limited. Therefore the findings of the study did not confirm the assumptions of the early clustering literature, but was indicative of the findings of the more recent research.