Regional specialization of Turkish manufacturing industry in respect to technology level

The aim of this thesis is to analyze the specialization of the Turkey's manufacturing industry based on general manufacturing and gender divided employment regarding to technology level in NUTS2 regions. In this regard the location quotient, localization curve and shift-share analysis has been used to determine the regional specialization. While the location quotient analysis tries to analyze whether the regions has been created more jobs than national level, the localization curve is used to determine whether the certain technology level is spread out all over the country or concentrated in certain specialized regions. The shift-share analysis is used to analyze the causes of changes in employment. According to the results of the location quotient and localization curve, there is a high level of regional specialization in high and medium-high technology level in Turkish manufacturing industry. The western region of Turkey has higher location quotient in high and medium-high technology levels than that of eastern regions. The results from the shift-share analysis shows that Marmara, Aegean and Western Anatolian regions has created the whole new job opportunities at high and medium-high technology levels for the period of 2009-2014. The empirical results of location quotient and localization regarding to gender are the same. According to this analysis, the females are regionally specialized at high and medium-high technology levels. Also there is a weak regional concentration in medium-low technology level too. In males side there is only a regional concentration of manufacturing industry at high and medium-high technology level. Three policy recommendations are presented in accordance with the findings obtained. First production of manufacturing industry with low and medium-low technology in less developed regions could be encouraged by state. Second, usage of high and medium-high technology should be encouraged in developed regions. The technology should be produced within the country, based on the resources the country have. In addition for the future the government should prepare the long-run plans alongside the medium regional plans.