SOCIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF EMPLOYMENT MOVEMENTS ACROSS COMPANIES IN INNOVATION CLUSTERS


Cansiz M., Ulusoy M. D.

ISTANBUL JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGICAL STUDIES-SOSYOLOJI KONFERANSLARI, no.55, pp.195-218, 2017 (ESCI) identifier

Abstract

Technoparks are innovation clusters operated by technology-based entrepreneurs. An important advantage of these clusters is that they create a pool of skilled employees and are able to mobilize employment across firms. Employment mobility is one of the parameters affecting the competitiveness of companies. By the end of 2016, there were 51 technoparks established in Turkey, with approximately 4.300 companies and 41.500 employees. This study focuses on two basic problems within this context. First, what are the characteristics of entrepreneurs and firms that affect the employment movements in technoparks in Turkey? Second, how do the personnel shifts across firms influence the competitive power of such firms? Research data were collected through questionnaires distributed to entrepreneurs. Collected data were then analyzed by probit and ordered logit regression techniques. The analysis demonstrates that age, gender, experience of entrepreneurship, number of firm employees, and the success of firms and technoparks are influential factors affecting employment movements across firms in these innovation clusters. Another finding shows that while staff departure from a company has a negative effect on the competitiveness of that company, the staff entry has a positive effect. These findings highlight the need to develop policies and practices that improve the workforce mobility in technoparks.