The Evolution of Science, Technology and Innovation Policy: The Turkish Case

Date

2025-5

Author

Kök Hazer, İdil Buse

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This thesis analyses the development of Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) policies in Türkiye between 1960 and 2020, focusing on the political, institutional and socio-economic factors shaping these policies. Using a mixed-methods approach of bibliometric analysis, detailed examination of historical policy documents and qualitative interviews with key stakeholders, the study analyses Türkiye's alignment with global STI policy trends and identifies critical challenges in the national context. The research reveals that there has been a shift from science policy towards technology, industry and ultimately innovation-oriented frameworks. However, Türkiye's STI policies suffer from rapid transitions, policy actor conflicts, difficulty in coordinating and sustaining long-term policy making, and convergence without contextualization when applying global policy models. The findings also show systemic inefficiencies resulting from short-term, politically driven decision-making processes and inadequate stakeholder engagement. The thesis concludes with recommendations advocating the development of a ‘Science-Industry’ policy framework rather than an innovation policy to increase the effectiveness and adaptability of STI policies, public capacity building to strengthen strategic policy implementation capacity, and the adoption of a culture of policy experimentation. These insights will be instructive for Türkiye and other emerging economies trying to navigate the complex global and domestic dynamics in STI policy making.

Subject Keywords

Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) policies, Policy Evolution, Innovation Systems, Technological Paradigms

URI

https://hdl.handle.net/11511/114968

Collections

Graduate School of Social Sciences, Thesis