Analysis in terms of revealed comparative advantage theory of international competitiveness in Turkey plastics sector

In the post-1970 period, when globalization gained momentum, international trade increased. With this increase, a competition has started among the countries in order to gain more returns and market share. The similar supply of goods and services of the countries inevitably leads to their rival status. The superiority of one country over the other is tried to be determined with the help of competitiveness analyzes. Studies on the basis of countries and industries are useful resources to demonstrate the competitiveness of countries. Therefore, especially after 1990, the literature has expanded with increasing studies. Given the independence granted to the researcher by country and sector choices, it is possible to analyze competitiveness in a wide range of areas. The study was prepared in three parts. The study aims to determine the competitiveness of the plastics industry in Turkey. The period of 2001-2018 of the sector is discussed. The study measures the competitiveness of the sector according to the revealed comparative advantage (RCA) method. Turkey has a competitive disadvantage relative to the plastics industry worldwide. In the sub-product groups of the sector, the highest value of RCA is tableware, kitchenware, other household goods and sanitary or toilet articles made of plastic.