The effect of strategic responses to instutional environment pressures on performance of local supermarkets operating in antalya region

In recent years, Turkey's food retailing has become an industry which includes more international, national and local players. The intense competition faced by both retailers opening to foreign markets and national/local retailers struggling in the host countries has played an important role in the development of the sector. The rapid growth in the sector has intensified the competition between the food retail businesses. In Turkey, this process has forced local supermarkets, which operate in the same environment, to survive against various institutional pressures. Despite of pressures such as legal difficulties, the necessity to comply with international and national business standards, changes in market conditions (e-commerce, shopping centers and discount markets etc.), strategic alliances, local supermarkets continued to operate in a competitive environment with a variety of strategies. The aim of this thesis is to determine whether there is a relationship between the perceived operational performance of local supermarkets' and their strategic responses to corporate environmental pressures. In the first and second part of the thesis, through current discussions food retail sector's both current situation and changes occurred recently will be examined on national and global scale. In the third and last part of the thesis, a research has been carried out on the results of the strategic responses of local supermarkets, which have been continuing their activities in Antalya for years, in response to corporate environmental pressures. The research was carried out according to quantitative research designs. The research universe consists of all local supermarkets operating in the center of Antalya. Statistical findings suggest that local supermarkets in Antalya responses strategically to environmental changes and these strategies has an impact on business performance. The implications are thought to make significant contributions both to the food retail sector and the literature.