Retailers’ resilience strategies and their impacts on urban spaces in Turkey

Abstract

a b s t r a c tRecent developments in the retail sector in Turkey have created a dynamic environment, with different resilience strategies of actors forming the sector providing a new context in which to discuss urban transformation. The developments have contributed to the public's awareness regarding multifaceted problems in the retail sector, many of which have a negative impact on urban space. Retailers, citizens and governing bodies variously contribute to this issue with different perceptions of and strategies on how to adapt to the changes. How these dynamics work and influence urban space in the Turkish context is the main focus of this research. A field survey in Ankara revealed that the resilience strategies of traditional retailers are reactive rather than proactive. This situation provides them with the flexibility to adapt themselves more quickly to the changes in the sector. However, as there is no holistic retail policy in Turkey, reactive strategies also result in unplanned use of urban space.

Retail development in Turkey: An account after two decades of shopping malls in the urban scene

“…Despite the relatively late influence of global economic trends in Turkey (beginning in the late 1990s), foreign investment penetrated the country's retail sector quite quickly. This development attracted the attention of scholars regarding various aspects of Turkish retailing, and the subject has generated a growing literature (see, for example, Erkip, Kizilgun, & Mugan Akinci, 2013;Erkip, Kizilgun, & Mugan Akinci, 2014;Erkip, 2003Erkip, , 2005Ozuduru & Varol, 2011;Ozuduru et al, 2014;Tokatli & Boyaci, 1998). This article documents the last two decades of transformation in Turkey's retail sector, which have been characterized by a more organized development of the sector than traditionally existed.…”

Espacios de intercambio comercial en Santiago de Chile: tres maneras de aportar a la esfera pública de áreas urbanas

“…11 Los lugares más visitados corresponden a los alimenticios de primera necesidad, y también a los lugares con productos especiales. 12 La percepción positiva asociada a la entretención tiene que ver con los usuarios presentes en el lugar; los entrevistados valoran la mixtura social que se da en la relación con los locatarios y trabajadores de La Vega: 13 J: "[…] pero uno en La Vega… no hay diferencia de clases sociales, por ejemplo, uno puede ver una persona de una calidad económica muy alta… a uno que 8 De los asistentes a La Vega en días laborales y festivos, la mayor cantidad de personas se encuentran entre los 40 y 49 años (23%); en segundo lugar están las de 50 a 59 (19%), y en tercer lugar, las de 30 a 39 (18%).…”

Retail planning and urban resilience – An introduction to the special issue

“…Internationalization and the struggle between domestic capital (represented by traditional and small-scale retailers) and corporate foreign capital (represented by large retail investments) are the forces behind the rise of a dual structure in Turkish retailing, pointed out by Erkip, Kızılgün, and Mugan Akinci (2014) in this issue. These factors provide the context for the design of stakeholder strategies.…”

“…Assuming those as the indicators of resilience, this article explores cases (mainly the strategies adopted by small independent retailers to survive and adapt to changing retail conditions of urban Turkey) to either provide support for or criticize existing retail policies, which lack a holistic understanding of the role of retailing in urban planning and resilience. Erkip et al (2014) reveal these aspects through retailer and consumer views on two popular streets in Ankara's (Turkey's capital) urban core. Ozuduru et al (2014) find that shopping streets and shopping centers are used by almost all types of consumers in Ankara.…”

“…Departing from Foster's (2007) distinction between spontaneous and anticipated or prepared resilience, Erkip et al (2014), in this volume, state that ''planned resilience that is a comprehensive approach requires the engagement of associations, municipalities and other public actors''. In fact, Mueller (2011), cited also by these authors, points out that proper governance and a relationship between several actors with the ability to anticipate and plan make some cities more resilient than others.…”