Importance of the White Goods Sector in the Turkish Economy

Abstract

In the white goods sector, as a result of the fact that products have been standardized to a large extent and have reached the “mature product” stage, and the high demand potential in the domestic markets of the emerging markets, manufacturing centers have been shifting towards the emerging countries. Because of that emerging countries firms which have produced high quality products with lower cost in white goods sector, have raised their shares in total world production and export. Turkey is the one of the countries which has the most benefited these improvements. Firms which have developed their technology capacity and rose from contact manufacturer to brand manufacturer in the value chains and innovative chains the best examples of which can be seen in white goods sector. In contrast to other countries, thanks to ARGE and technology investment of Arcelik, Vestel and also other firms in the sector, white goods sector has been one of the most innovative sectors in Turkey.