TECHNOLOGY AND EXPORTS - THE CASE OF THE TURKISH MANUFACTURING-INDUSTRIES

Policy makers and researchers are increasingly recognizing the critical role of technology in the successful industrialization of LDCs. Research on the technological activities of LDC firms, and on the factors including technical change in these countries, is at an early stage. A better understanding of the issue requires detailed empirical work. This paper presents the findings of research carried out among the 659 largest manufacturing firms across industries in Turkey in the period 1987-1988. The study relates the export-oriented development strategy that has been pursued in Turkey since 1980 to the rate and direction of technological change in Turkish manufacturing. It finds trade policy to be an important determinant of the direction of in-house technological change, but not of the rate of research and development (R&D). © 1990.