A study on strategic management applications: The example of Turkish defense industry

The terminology of strategy initially emerged in a military context and later expanded to economic, political, and institutional domains. By the mid-20th century, strategic planning had become an essential management tool for achieving long-term organizational goals. Today, strategic planning serves as a critical mechanism for managing uncertainty and enhancing flexibility for public and private actors in any sectors. This thesis focuses on the Turkish defense industry, analyzing the historical evolution of its strategic management approach. The study examines strategic plans of public institutions, corporate reports, and significant policy documents to uncover the influence of adopted management schools on the sector. Analytical frameworks such as the EFQM Model, PESTLE Analysis, and Porter's Five Forces were employed to evaluate the implications for strategic planning processes within the sector. As a result of the qualitative studies, it has been found that in a critical sector such as the defense industry, the top policy documents determine a general strategic direction and that the existence of an institutional structure to align strategic goals and objectives between the public and private sectors in order to achieve successful results in line with this direction is an important element in ensuring the sustainability of the sector. The thesis emphasizes how significant strategic planning and implementation in the Turkish defense industry and highlights the importance for alignment between public and private sectors for achieving strategic objectives.