Research Information System
AESOP 2018-MAKING SPACE FOT HOPE, Gothenburg, Sweden, 10 July 2018, pp.574
The capital or metropolitan cities of most of the country have the advantages of agglomeration economies and leading role on national economy. However OECD and policy documents in developed countries and rapidly growing countries have pointed out role of second tier cities. On the one hand especially negative externalities of agglomeration economies such as congestion and living cost in largest cities, have draw attention to second-tier cities. On the other hand second-tier cities may help to reduce interregional inequalities, while the policy on this concept would be hope for smaller and affordable cities. The aim of this study is to examine the economic and social performance of second-tier cities in Turkey, emphasizing the role of second-tier cities in overcoming regional inequalities. In the scope of the study, firstly second-tier cities of Turkey has been identified in accordance with the criteria of ESPON. These criteria are population , GDP, GDP per capita, proportional distribution of sectoral GDP, employment and unemployment rate, graduates number in high level education, employment in financial intermediate sectors which are real estates, leasing- business activities and number of patent applications which show innovativeness. 24 of 81 cities are determined as second-tier cities in Turkey. However, it is known that they are not all the same in terms of their dynamics and performances. Therefore, cities which are defines as second-tier, are categorized in order to see role of public sector investment. Finally discussion is conducted on role of second-tier cities within urban and regional development policy in Turkey.