The Attitude of Developed and Developing Countries Towards the Kyoto Protocol and the Case of Turkey

The problem of global climate change is one of the biggest present-day global problems. This problem, which has become a current issue because of the energy crisis that happened in 1970s, as well as growing awareness of environment, have not only changed the notion of development but also led to a transformation of non-renewable energy resources. Due to rapid population growth, the depletion of the non-renewable energy resources and the raising consciousness about global climate change our comprehension of traditional development has yielded to sustainable development, while energy structure and preferences have also changed from non-renewable energy resources to renewable energy resources. As this changed pattern and problem are global, they have removed the borders among governments, required international cooperation and thus, new international actors have stepped in. In this study, the countries are divided into two parts as developed countries and developing countries. As developed countries; USA and EU countries are selected while China and India are selected as developing countries. Also as a developing country, Turkey＇s energy and climate policies, attitude towards the Kyoto Protocol signed within the scope of United Nations and the positive and the negative effects of the Protocol on the country are investigated. In this sense, it has been observed that the question of whether or not the Protocol contributes to the economy of developing countries correlates with whether or not these countries are on the side of the Protocol and it has also been observed that being on the side of the Protocol is not a threat to Turkey＇s development. If applied correctly, the policies that Turkey will pursue within the scope of the Protocol will help the country to reduce foreign energy dependency and cooperate with other countries. A comparative method is used in this paper.     

Tourism Perspectives of the Asian Financial Crisis: Lessons for the Future

This paper reviews the causes of the Asian financial crisis,the implications for tourism, and identifies salient lessons that may be employed in dealing with future crises. Written just after the conclusion of the financial crisis, the paper finds that the crisis did not have as great an impact on tourism in East Asia as first feared and observes that tourism may be more resilient to crises than previously anticipated. The paper also notes that the tourism literature has been largely silent on the impact of the crisis and discusses the need for greater analysis of economic issues.     

Relative underperformance Alla Turca

From 1960 to 2003, Turkey has underperformed relative to several Western economies, in terms of hours worked and output per hour. Our sectoral analysis illustrates two points. First, Turkey's large drop in hours is due to the fact that the substantial decline in agricultural hours has not been accompanied by a corresponding increase in nonagricultural market hours. Second, the sectoral composition of output is important for understanding Turkey's relatively weak rise in output per hour. We develop a simple model of structural transformation and home production to provide an account of Turkey's performance relative to the U.S. and Southern Europe. We find that the evolution of exogenous differences in sectoral productivity and taxes, between Turkey and the U.S., as well as Southern Europe, can account quantitatively for most of Turkey's relative underperformance to these regions.     

The projected costs and benefits of water diversion from and to the Sultan Marshes (Turkey)

The Sultan Marshes in the Develi Basin, Anatolia, one of twelve internationally important wetlands of Turkey, have been severely affected by the construction of an irrigation project in 1988. Intensive use of surface and ground water in irrigation has caused more than a 1 m decline in water levels and has affected the wetlands' ecological characteristics. Previous studies indicate that Sultan Marshes will need more water to restore viable ecological conditions. In this study, we analyze how economic benefits from agriculture and wetlands would be affected if moderate amounts of water were diverted from agriculture back to wetlands in the Develi Basin. By estimating total and marginal costs and benefits associated with water diversions, we determined the optimum or economically-efficient amount of water diversion. When only direct-use values of the wetland (animal grazing, plant harvesting, and ecotourism) were included in the analysis, the optimum amount of water diversion to the wetlands was found to be 5.2 million m³ year^− 1 (165 L sec^− 1), which compares to about 62 million m³ year^− 1 (1,957 L sec^− 1) used in irrigation. When wastewater treatment benefits (an indirect-use value) were added, the optimum amount rose to 7 million m³ year^− 1. Overall, the analysis showed that water diversion from agriculture to the Sultan Marshes is economically preferable.     

The effect of economic anxiety and occupational burnout levels of tour guides on their occupational commitment

This study aims to reveal the effects of economic anxiety and burnout levels of active tour guides in Turkey on their occupational commitment. A questionnaire survey was conducted for this purpose on 370 active tour guides. Data were analysed using the path analysis and structural equation modelling. A negative relationship was found between the occupational commitment and burnout levels of tour guides and a strong positive relationship was found between the burnout and economic anxiety levels; it was also observed that the economic anxiety level only had a slight positive impact on continuance commitment.     

Public–private wage differentials in Turkey: public policy or market dynamics?

We evaluate public–private sector wage differentials by gender in Turkey between the years 2005 and 2013. Using micro data from Household Labor Force Surveys we find a positive premium for low wage earners and a penalty of working in the public sector at the higher end of the distribution. Although the penalty has not disappeared, the price effect has increased at both ends of the distribution. The increase at the lower tail is attributed to a higher price effect in the public sector, whereas at the higher tail it has been a result of a relatively uneven wage increase in the private sector along the distribution, rather than an explicit public wage policy.     

Fragmentation in Urban Movements: The Role of Urban Planning Processes

Urban plans and projects that aim to initiate the redevelopment and gentrification of urban areas create social and ecological pressures on urban environments and thereby stimulate urban movements. These movements have a lifespan, which evolves in interaction with planning authorities under local or central governments and may be marked by institutionalization and co‐optation, as well as fragmentation among the people involved in them. Fragmentations are usually based on conflicting individual and collective interests, but may also be the result of different political perspectives in groups. This article is based on a case study conducted in two adjacent gecekondu neighbourhoods of Istanbul, Gülsuyu and Gülensu, where urban politics have played an important role in efforts to resist plans for urban transformation. It shows that fragmentations are very likely to occur in urban movements during planning processes in a neoliberal era, owing to the different perspectives in the movement on what the just city is.     

Talent management motives and practices in an emerging market: A comparison between MNEs and local firms

This paper compares the differences in talent management motivations and practices between MNEs and local firms in the emerging market of Turkey. It uses institutional theory and the resource based view of the firm to explain these differences. Examining data from 201 firms the findings show significant differences between the talent management motives of MNEs and local firms, with MNEs having more tactical motivations for their talent management systems. The study also shows significant differences in the talent management practices between MNEs and local firms, with MNEs implementing more robust systems of talent management overall. The findings indicate that the motives for TM and the practices that are pursued by organizations are society-bound. The study of TM motives and practices has to be framed within the context of the institution as this shapes the way in which actors perceive and respond to environmental and organizational stimuli and the extent to which they seek to protect the rules that shape and structure their environments.     

The Agricultural Marketing Improvement Strategies Project (AMIS)

The Agricultural Marketing Improvement Strategies Project (AMIS), funded by the Bureau for Science and Technology of USAID, is a five-year applied research project designed to assist USAID Missions and developing countries in diagnosing marketing system constraints, identifying innovations for improving system productivity, and testing selected pilot interventions. Country activities will follow a cycle of rapid appraisal (problem identification phase), applied research (in-depth diagnosis of selected constraints), and pilot innovations (interventionist phase). The project hopes to promote and strengthen local capability for doing more effective research on agricultural commodity subsystems.