Asl? Tuncay Çelikel

Research and Development Collaborations: Turkish Automotive Industry: Factors Affecting Multinational Enterprises and Their Local Partner Firms Asl? Tuncay Çelikel

In today?s rapidly changing business world, Multinational Enterprises (MNEs) look for local partner firms in different countries to make R&D collaborations. In this book, important factors affecting R&D collaborations were found as production, innovation & R&D capabilities and then absorptive capacity of the Turkish automotive companies. The main R&D policy of the MNE (criteria for possible R&D collaboration, openness to R&D collaboration and strategic goals) was found as an important factor affecting MNE?s R&D location decisions. Another factor, competition between other R&D departments in different countries, and other R&D department?s competency were found as moderate level of importance. R&D Managers of Fiat, Ford and Hyundai found the Turkish government?s R&D incentives very attractive, and found that Turkey?s infrastructure, socio-economic conditions and cheap but skilled labor force were appropriate for undertaking R&D collaborations. Social factors (mutual trust, level of commitment and cultural conflicts) were found to be an important influence in MNE?s R&D location decisions.