Economic complexity and logistics performance index: an application in BRICS-T countries

Today, the increasing competitive environment in international trade with globalization directly affects the economic development of countries. Especially developing countries need to make some reforms and innovations in economic policies in order to adapt to this competitive environment and take their place in the international arena. In this context, the export potential of countries is gaining more importance day by day. However, it should not be forgotten that while the size of the export volumes of the countries is decreasing, the components of the products they export are more important in today's world economy. In other words, what countries export is more important than how much they export. For this reason, developing countries need innovations in some production and economic policies in order to converge with developed countries. In order for countries to reach the production potential associated with the production of complex products, they need to turn from labor-intensive products to products that require knowledge, technology and skills. In this regard, countries that have completed processes such as foreign capital investment and knowledge, skills and technology transfer increase their export potential by expanding their export baskets. This export-based growth potential of countries can be demonstrated with many different indices. Examples of these indicators are the logistics performance index and the economic complexity index. In this thesis, trade networks were created for two product groups of BRICS-T countries and their relations with each other were visualized and evaluated with Ucinet social network analysis within the scope of logistics performance index and economic complexity index. The product groups used in the study, exported by the countries with the highest level of economic complexity, were examined and the common product groups in the top five were selected. As a result of the study, it has been determined that the most central country is the People's Republic of China, and other countries are located around the central country. The most important actors of the trade network, which is another aim of the study, have been identified as the People's Republic of China and India.