What is The Role of Techno-Parks on Regional Innovation in Turkey?

Authors : Ferhan GEZİCİ, Burcu MÜDERRİSOĞLU, Güliz SALİHOĞLU, Gülay BAŞARIR

Pages : 43-59

View : 11 | Download : 12

Publication Date : 2021-03-31

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :Techno-parks/science parks took their place in many developing countries` agenda with the successful performances that developed countries put forth. Techno-parks that have initially emerged as a result of university-industry cooperation encourage R&D firms to be located close to the university, to contribute to knowledge production, develop centers of technology and knowledge spill-over and support national and regional economic growth. Since 2001, techno-parks in Turkey have been founded initially in industrialized cities with well-established universities, skilled labor. The numbers of techno-parks increased to 64 in 44 provinces of Turkey in 2016. The roles and efficiency of the increasing number of techno-parks that also have the goal of regional development is a subject of debate. The aim of this paper is to discuss the role of techno-parks on regional innovation in Turkey. Therefore, the innovation performance of regions is analyzed related to techno-parks as a base of geographically localized networks and cooperation with the universities, and other endogenous characteristics by two multiple regression models. Results mainly point out the significance of agglomeration economies along with the role of structural changes in the manufacturing industry, leading firms and performance of the universities on innovation performance of regions.
Keywords : Innovation, techno parks, regional development