Dünyada ve Türkiye’de Teknolojik Dönüşüm ve Teknoloji Odaklı Rekabet

In this study, the process and phenomenon of technological progress in Turkey is analyzed in the context of scientific factors and other factors that constitute technological infrastructure. We put the emphasis on analyzing the factors that lead to technological creation and change, within the frame work of world competition and hegemony, and determining the position of Tukey in this competition or hegemony by concentrating on data. In the first part, emergence and transformation process of technological progress is analyzed with consideration about the process and phenomenon of technological improvement. In part two, scientific and technological performance oriented phenomena such as industrialization and global competition are analyzed on a world economy level. An examination of determinants of technology level in the world economy is conducted, which is centred around the countries which form and improve the level of science and technology. US, Japan, EU-27 and China constitute the core of this analysis. In part three, technological transformation process of industrialization in Turkey is analyzed with a prior view with historical perspective. The periodization of this historical view is formed by 1908-1960, 1963-1980 and 1908-2008. In this analysis, change in manufacturing sector and skilled human resources are considered as basic data. Due to the fact that data on technology level of Turkey prior to 1990 is not available, recourse to other data sets that can be auxiliary in determining this level is preferred. As a result, it is observed that the process of formation of technology level in Turkey has begun by 1963 TÜBİTAK framework. For the period after 1990, determinants of technology level are examined in comparison to EU and Turkey’s competence in this field is also analyzed. In the final part, outcomes of the study are analyzed in terms of competition on a national and global basis. In this context, it is inferred that, even though level of science and technology rises in time, there is requirement for an increase in the quality of education that promotes technological research and transfers it to the industry. In today’s Turkey, legs are more appreciated than brains. However, for countries where brains are not appreciated and legs are more valuable, realization of scientific progress and emergence of industries which intensely produce and use technology, is impossible.