PROXIMITY AND SOCIAL NETWORK RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN COMPANIES: THE CASE OF GAZİANTEP TEXTILE INDUSTRY
METU JOURNAL OF THE FACULTY OF ARCHITECTURE, cilt.43, sa.1, ss.29-56, 2026 (AHCI, Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Cilt numarası: 43 Sayı: 1
- Basım Tarihi: 2026
- Doi Numarası: 10.4305/metu.jfa.2026.1.2
- Dergi Adı: METU JOURNAL OF THE FACULTY OF ARCHITECTURE
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Arts and Humanities Citation Index (AHCI), Scopus, Art Source, Avery, Index Islamicus
- Sayfa Sayıları: ss.29-56
- Gazi Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
The industrial sector, a pioneer of the urban economy, has been influenced by various developments from the 1950s to the present. Technological advances and globalization, particularly after 1980, have led to an effort to reduce dependence on specific locations and expand cross-border markets. Studies focusing on the spatial and organizational structure of economic activities have increased the emphasis on the concepts of proximity and social network. This study explores the networking patterns among urban industrial centers and the impact of the social networking and proximity relationships embedded in these networks, using Gaziantep as an example. Employing quantitative and qualitative research techniques, this study utilizes spatial analyses and in-depth interviews with textile sector companies. It demonstrates that, while the social networking and proximity relationships of textile companies in the identified industrial centers maintain the importance of geographical proximity, geographical proximity alone is insufficient for innovative processes. Proximity relationships facilitate holistic development. This finding corroborates the frequently emphasized views in the literature on social networking and proximity relationships.