Investigation of Location Dynamics of Automotive Industry: The Case of Kocaeli/Turkey

the Automotive industry has been internationalized for 30 years as a result of vertical disintegration and modular production changes in the structure of the industry. Simultaneously with such changes, Eastern part of Marmara Region (specifically Kocaeli City) in Turkey which had little evidence in terms of automobile concentration before 1980s has become emerging automotive production geography within the periphery of Europe especially after 1990s. This study investigates the location dynamics of automotive suppliers in Kocaeli. Besides the cost related location reasons, factors like quality, relationship between actors, just in time production and delivery are the subjects waiting to be studied for the study area since it is a developing cluster for 20 years. Data on existing structure and historical restructuring process of the region is obtained via government reports and statistics. To explain the location reasons of suppliers, interviews with supplier firm managers are conducted due to the registry records obtained from Kocaeli Chamber of Industry. Subjects on the location reasons of suppliers, the reasons of supplier selection of carmakers, satisfaction with existing location / reasons of relocation (push and pull factors), relationships between car makers and suppliers in model development, components of competitiveness of the firm and firms’ adaptation to restructuring of the automotive system have been investigated in interviews. Answers of the firm managers are grouped into categories and findings are rendered and interpreted through descriptive statistics and frequency tables.

Anahtar Kelimeler: Automotive Industry, Location Dynamics, Industrial Development, Industrial City, Kocaeli

the Automotive industry has been internationalized for 30 years as a result of vertical disintegration and modular production changes in the structure of the industry. Simultaneously with such changes, Eastern part of Marmara Region (specifically Kocaeli City) in Turkey which had little evidence in terms of automobile concentration before 1980s has become emerging automotive production geography within the periphery of Europe especially after 1990s. This study investigates the location dynamics of automotive suppliers in Kocaeli. Besides the cost related location reasons, factors like quality, relationship between actors, just in time production and delivery are the subjects waiting to be studied for the study area since it is a developing cluster for 20 years. Data on existing structure and historical restructuring process of the region is obtained via government reports and statistics. To explain the location reasons of suppliers, interviews with supplier firm managers are conducted due to the registry records obtained from Kocaeli Chamber of Industry. Subjects on the location reasons of suppliers, the reasons of supplier selection of carmakers, satisfaction with existing location / reasons of relocation (push and pull factors), relationships between car makers and suppliers in model development, components of competitiveness of the firm and firms’ adaptation to restructuring of the automotive system have been investigated in interviews. Answers of the firm managers are grouped into categories and findings are rendered and interpreted through descriptive statistics and frequency tables.

Keywords: Automotive Industry, Location Dynamics, Industrial Development, Industrial City, Kocaeli

Sayfa Aralığı: 149-178

Senlıer, N. & Salıhoglu, T. (2017). Investigation of Location Dynamics of Automotive Industry: The Case of Kocaeli/Turkey. Journal of Current Researches on Business and Economics, 7 (2), 149-178.