Aim:

In the analyzes made within the scope of the South Aegean Regional Innovation Strategy study, it was determined that "information and communication technology infrastructures and production and management systems related to them are not widespread" in the region, especially in the food and machinery manufacturing sectors, while all stages of production processes in the textile sector are carried out electronically, but "computer-integrated". It was emphasized that there was a need for a transition to the “production” system.

In this direction, within the scope of the institutionalization and digital transformation result-oriented program, it will be aimed to contribute to increasing the level of income and profitability by providing digital transformation in the prominent sectors in the region (textile and clothing products, machinery and equipment, food and beverage products manufacturing). Within the scope of the program, it is aimed to increase digital services and digital operational competencies in businesses, and to strengthen corporate management and governance capacity in the digital transformation process.

Purpose of the Program:

It is to contribute to increasing the level of income and profitability by providing digital and institutional transformation in the prominent sectors in the region (textile and clothing products, machinery and equipment, food and beverage products manufacturing).

Specific Objectives of the Program:

1. Increasing digital services (products, services, solutions) in businesses

2. Increasing the digital operational competencies of businesses

3. Developing institutionalization capacity

Background and Rationale for Intervention

Digitalization in the manufacturing industry has the potential to create value with efficiency and productivity increases at every stage of the value chain. While digitalization offers important opportunities for regions and businesses that have made progress in this area, it also poses a great threat to regions and businesses that have not taken a step in this area. In the digital transformation process of the manufacturing industry, it is necessary to use digital technologies efficiently, effectively and effectively in order to be in a competitive position in production.

In the digital transformation process of the manufacturing industry, technologies such as "artificial intelligence, autonomous robots, big data and advanced analytics, cloud computing, augmented and virtual reality, internet of things, additive manufacturing, new generation smart sensor technologies and cyber security" will increase added value, efficiency, profitability, It is seen as the leading technologies in maximizing the quality and many similar elements. On the other hand, digital technologies allow many jobs that have been done by people with traditional methods to be done autonomously, thus making it possible to do the same production by employing fewer people. In addition, additional employment opportunities provided by the growth in the economy are also emerging.

Although digitalization is important for our country and region as it is for the whole world, some researches reveal that we still have a long way to go in digitalization. Ranking 45th among 144 countries in the World Economic Forum's 2014-15 Global Competitiveness Report, it is seen that Turkey lags behind developing countries in terms of "being ready for technology" with this result. This picture shows us that the solution that will accelerate Turkey's economic development and take our country one step further in global competition is to adopt technology and rapidly digitize. On the other hand, in our country where the need for digitalization is at a high level, steps have been taken to meet this need.

In the Digital Turkey Roadmap prepared by the Ministry of Industry and Technology, it is stated that many businesses, especially SMEs, do not have the financial resources and technological infrastructure to carry out the digital transformation process in a healthy way. Within the scope of the Roadmap and Digital Transformation support program, it is aimed to support the digital transformation processes of manufacturing industry enterprises, including SMEs operating in the focus sectors determined as chemistry, motor vehicles, machinery and equipment, semiconductors and electronics, and food and beverage products through the production value chain. .

Machinery and equipment manufacturing, textile and clothing manufacturing, and food and beverage manufacturing, which are covered under the manufacturing industry title within the scope of the South Aegean Region Innovation Strategy, are the leading sectors that drive the regional industry in terms of both exports and employment. The following factors come to the fore in the implementation of the Smart Specialization approach, which is increasingly prominent in the economic transformation processes of the Regional Innovation Strategies and underlined in the 'Innovative South Aegean Project':

• To develop supports to address the needs, key priorities and investment needs for knowledge-based development on a regional basis, taking into account the applications in information and communication technologies.

• To support technological (R&D) and business model-based innovation activities in a way that will enable private sector companies to invest in this direction.

In the analyzes made within the scope of the Regional Innovation study, it has been determined that "information and communication technology infrastructures and production and management systems related to them are not widespread" in the region, especially in the food and machinery manufacturing sectors, and the enterprises in the textile sector have started to switch to the "computer integrated production" system, where all stages of production processes are carried out electronically. need has been emphasized.

In this direction, within the scope of the institutionalization and digital transformation result-oriented program in the manufacturing industry, it will be aimed to contribute to increasing the level of income and profitability by providing digital transformation in the prominent sectors in the region (textile and clothing products, machinery and equipment, food and beverage products manufacturing). Within the scope of the program, it is aimed to increase digital services and digital operational competencies in businesses, and to strengthen corporate management and governance capacity in the digital transformation process.

Within the scope of the program, Digital Transformation Needs Analysis, Training Programs, Management Consultancy Program, 2020 Digital Transformation Financial Support Program, organization of participation of manufacturing industry enterprises in digitalization-themed domestic fairs, Digital Transformation Themed Success Cases Events, Matching Regional Digital Technology Suppliers and Businesses in the Sector Event, For Digitization It is aimed to make significant progress in the field of digitalization in the region in the next 3 years, with tools such as Project Development, Digitalization-Oriented State Supports to EU and Other Funding Sources, Information, Consultancy Activities, and Promotion Activities Organization of National Digital Technology Suppliers.

The fact that enterprises do not show the desired level of interest and orientation in investments and activities on digitalization is one of the important risks of the result-oriented program. However, it is expected that the interest in the digitalization process and the tendency to invest will increase with the training and awareness activities, financial support program applications to be carried out by our Agency.