The effect of technology development zones on the country economy: An evaluation on the perceptions of the company managers in ADÜ Teknokent

In developing global competition markets, it can be seen that countries are advancing by giving importance to R&D and innovation culture. It is an inevitable reality that the technological products and services that the countries will create within the scope of the export-based growth model will outperform their rivals and make them advantageous in economic conjuncture. In this sense, examining and observing the studies of the Technology Development Zones will help to understand entrepreneurship and advanced technology production. The main objective of this thesis study is to reveal the effects of the studies carried out in the Technology Development Zones in Turkey on the national economy. As of 2020, 70 of the total of 84 Technology Development Zones officially operating in Turkey continue to operate and 14 of them continue their infrastructure work. Aydın Adnan Menderes University Technology Development Zone is also among the zones that are actually operating. This study aims to evaluate whether the zone in question satisfies a positive contribution to the establishment goals of technology development zones and to the Turkey's economy. In the first part of the study, the decisions of January 24, 1980 with its before and after in Turkey's economy have been examined considering the contributions of export-based growth models with their before and after to the country. The studies related to the Turkey's economy and structural transformations has also been mentioned in the literature. In the second part of the study; the development, structuring, activities and effects of the techno parks to the economy have been examined under the title of the contributions of Technology Development Zones in Turkey to the national economy. In the third part of the study; the purpose, method, population and sampling of the research, data collection techniques, data analysis processes, ethical aspect and literature review have been included. In the last part of the study, the analysis of the research was made, the results of the research were compared with the literature, and discussions and suggestions were included. KEY WORDS: R&D, Economy, Technopark