Competitive Analysis of Isparta Fruit Sector through Diamond Model

Abstract

In order to gain competitive advantage in national and international markets through globalization, make the competition sustainable, produce products with advanced technologies and innovative activities and make a flexible production in line with changing demand make firms and / or sectors advantageous in global competition. This study aimed at analyzing a competitive analysis of fruit sector through the Diamond Model developed by Michael Eugene Porter in order to demonstrate national and sectoral competitiveness. For this purpose, the current situation of fruit sector, which is an important economic activity in Isparta, was put forward and analyzed its competition level was discussed. The necessary data for the Diamond Model were gathered through face-to-face surveys with 47 large fruit producers and in-depth interviews with the representatives of other related sectors. Although the fruit sector and related sectors have been located close to natural resources and inputs in the neighbourhood in Isparta, an ordinary agglomeration has emerged but it could not be clustered because collaboration culture has not been developed in the sector and intersectoral. This fact decreases the regional competition chance of the sector. However, existence of an easy and continuously communication among all actors in the sector, state supports to sectoral cooperation / organizations, and actors who are compulsory for benefiting these supports in the region should be considered important advantages for a clustering and increasing regional competitiveness power of fruit sector.