An assessment of Turkish science and technology policies, 1983-2005: A sectoral analysis


Tezin Türü: Yüksek Lisans

Tezin Yürütüldüğü Kurum: Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi, İktisadi ve İdari Bilimler Fakültesi, İktisat Bölümü, Türkiye

Tezin Onay Tarihi: 2007

Öğrenci: SERKAN BÜRKEN

Danışman: ERKAN ERDİL

Özet:

The main aim of this dissertation is to evaluate Turkish science and technology policy documents, namely “Turkish Science Policy: 1983-2003”, “Turkish Science and Technology Policy: 1993-2003”, “National Science and Technology Policy: 2003-2023 Strategy Document”, and Turkish ever-first foresight study “Vision 2023”; to discuss the impacts of those documents to Turkish science and technology and make some further policy recommendations for the future. For this reason, first, the history of Turkish science and technology policy making processes is summarized and the targets of the documents are examined. Second, the outcomes and the realization of the goals are discussed in terms of science and technology indicators and R&D intensification among some leading industrial sectors of the country such as automotive, textile, clothing and information and communication technologies. In addition, the R&D intensification of Turkish total manufacturing is analyzed via using Sanjaya Lall’s industry categorization method. Turkey intensely exports resource based and low technology goods while importing medium and high technology ones. The scarce of demand for technology and R&D which is the main reason behind the malfunction of technology policies, is basically depended on the mentioned structure of Turkish industry. Finally, it is concluded that in spite of some achievements, the implementation of Turkish science and technology policy documents are of insufficieny depended on the lack of political authority and responsibility and of the coordination among industry, institutions and society as a whole.