Measuring the impact of ICT labour on the efficiency of Turkish retail businesses: a stochastic frontier analysis

GÖNEL F., TAŞTAN H.

Global Business and Economics Review, vol.33, no.1, pp.84-107, 2025 (Scopus) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 33 Issue: 1
  • Publication Date: 2025
  • Doi Number: 10.1504/gber.2025.147180
  • Journal Name: Global Business and Economics Review
  • Journal Indexes: Scopus, International Bibliography of Social Sciences, Aerospace Database, Communication Abstracts, EconLit, INSPEC, Metadex, Civil Engineering Abstracts
  • Page Numbers: pp.84-107
  • Keywords: e-commerce, ICT, information and communication technologies, productivity, retail trade, small-sized firms, Turkey, wholesale trade
  • Yıldız Technical University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

This study examines the impact of information and communication technologies (ICTs) on efficiency in the Turkish retail trade sector using firm-level data. We employ a stochastic frontier model to analyse the effect of ICT labour and traditional non-ICT labour on productivity. Results indicate that Turkish retail firms operate with constant returns to scale and a labour-intensive technology. ICT labour has a positive effect on the technical efficiency of retailer firms, with a contribution comparable to that of non-ICT labour. Empirical results also suggest that, compared to large firms, small and medium-sized firms exhibit slightly higher technical efficiency.