Measuring the Adaptability of SMEs Operating in the TRC2 Region to the COVID-19 Process and Analysis of Improving Competition Conditions from the Industry 4.0 Perspective

Within the scope of the project, it is aimed to develop solution proposals that can be transformed into an opportunity to improve the competitive conditions in the Industry 4.0 process and the level of impact of the TRC2 Region, which is a strategically important Region where local policies should be developed with its unique structure with its education, demographic structure and economic indicators. . Within the scope of the project, the necessity of applying local policies with the "function of the State as the main risk manager in the final analysis", which reflects the characteristics of the Region due to the unique characteristics of the TRC2 Region SMEs and the fragility in their financial and institutional structures increased by the pandemic process, was evaluated at the level of content and concrete practices. TRC2 Region SMEs of the 2019 Global Epidemic (Pandemic) process; giving priority to their existing fragile and accumulation-based unsustainable capital structures; It has been determined that the sector they are in, with their insufficient institutional structure and insufficient structuring in quality and R&D, has been determined to be greatly affected by the sector in which they are located, and the distance in the implementation of digitalization, systemic approaches and e-commerce in the decisions and processes within the concept of Industry 4.0 reduces the ability of SMEs to adapt to the pandemic process. result has been obtained. However, as the scale of TRC2 Region SMEs decreases, their adaptation to the Industry 4.0 process increases and it is concluded that they are cognitively ready and willing to transition to the process, which is considered as the development potential of the TRC2 Region. Facilitating/increasing the access of enterprises, especially SMEs operating in the manufacturing sector, to financial resources in the region, providing Quality & R&D Unit support, realizing sectoral and scale-based grant applications after the pandemic process, ensuring institutional development according to the demands of the enterprises, and e-commerce. Providing periodic training support has been determined as the main topics that will increase the adaptation ability of TRC2 Region SMEs to the Industry 4.0 process. In order to protect from the effects of the crisis caused by the 2019 Global Epidemic in the TRC2 Region and to ensure the continuity of SMEs, the transition to the Industry 4.0 Process has become a mandatory process for businesses as a way out, so local policies in the titles of financial, employment and incentive practices that will ensure compliance of TRC2 Region SMEs with the process. It has been evaluated that it should be carried out with the understanding of public sector planning, monitoring and evaluation, which should be sectoral and scale sensitive.