The Interaction Between Information Technology Exports and Logistics Infrastructure: An Assessment Focusing on Türkiye, Based on OECD Countries

Authors : Mustafa Ergün

Pages : 246-261

Doi:10.17828/yalovasosbil.1763649

View : 59 | Download : 326

Publication Date : 2025-10-27

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :This study investigates the structural relationship between Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) exports and railway logistics infrastructure across OECD countries, with a particular focus on Türkiye. Drawing on international trade theory and logistics performance models, it explores whether economies with strong digital export capacity invest proportionately in railway freight infrastructure. A comprehensive dataset was constructed by integrating 2022 OECD ICT export statistics with container transport (TEU), bulk cargo transport (tonne-kilometer), and national data from TÜİK and Türkiye’s Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure. Empirical analysis reveals a weak positive correlation between ICT exports and container railway transport (r ≈ 0.30), but no significant relationship with bulk cargo transport (r ≈ 0.00). These findings suggest that high value-added digital exports exert limited influence on investments in heavy-lift transport infrastructure. Outlier identification points to differentiated trajectories in national planning: the Netherlands achieves high ICT export levels despite modest freight capacity, while Canada shows the opposite pattern. Türkiye, with 38.5 billion tonne-kilometers of bulk cargo and 442,000 TEU in container volume, occupies a strategic midpoint in the Eurasian transport corridor. The study identifies a structural asymmetry between trade capacity and logistics infrastructure, emphasizing how high global interest rates may constrain capital-intensive railway investments. By integrating trade, transport, and macroeconomic variables, the research offers a holistic framework and strategic insights for policy development aimed at enhancing logistics–trade alignment in emerging economies.
Keywords : BİT İhracatı, Demiryolu Lojistiği, Uluslararası Ticaret, Konteyner Taşımacılığı, Yük Altyapısı

ORIGINAL ARTICLE URL