Analyzing Postgraduate Theses Written on Airline Competition in Turkey

In this study, the theses written on airlines’ competition were investigated to illustrate that Turkish academics handle the competition of airlines according to main competition themes and aspects. It was also put forward the research methodology, and results of these theses. The research was carried out by thoroughly examining the postgraduate theses, which exist in the electronic database of Turkish Council of Higher Education. In this research on the theses prepared until 2018, it has been determined that 3 PhD and 17 master theses have the qualities including the elements of competition in airline transportation. One of these 20 theses was written at Coventry University in England. One of these theses is in German, 5 in English and the remaining 14 are Turkish. Each of the theses includes elements related to competition, either wholly or partly, in the airline business. Theses have been subjected to document analysis in terms of subject, scope, method and results. Since the theses of the private airlines carrying passengers in Turkey didn’t handle all airlines/didn’t cover the universe, since they focused on specific business model, and since the interviewed people were not enough to conclude; theses are evaluated as not satisfied enough to be able to determine the Turkish aviation industry structure and to demonstrate competitive strategies truly. However, they have enriched the literature in terms of shedding light on certain aspects of the airline competition that existed during the period in which they were written