A SWOT ANALYSYS ON THE ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL STATUS OF SMEs OPERATING IN DISTRICTS: THE CASE OF UZUNKOPRU DISTRICT

Abstract

With the increasing effect of globalization, most of the enterprises operating in our country are Small and Medium Sized (SMEs) enterprises. According to the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey, the number of SMEs operating in Turkey is 3.2 million. This number constitutes 99.8% of all businesses. The pandemic crisis and the economic recession that followed have affected many SMEs in our country. Some of the enterprises operating in Uzunkopru are also SMEs. Uzunkopru Commodity Exchange (UTB) and Uzunkopru Chamber of Commerce and Industry (UTSO) exist in the district as nongovernmental organizations that SMEs can become members of. Uzunkopru Commodity Exchange has 213 members and Uzunkopru Chamber of Commerce and Industry has 1214 members. The majority of SMEs in the district operate in agricultural production. In the study, it is aimed to make an evaluation on the economic and financial situation of the SMEs in the Uzunkopru district of Edirne, especially in the last period. For this purpose, economic and financial data published publicly within the scope of the Personal Data Protection Law will be evaluated. As the data source, the reports of Uzunkopru Commodity Exchange, Uzunkopru Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Turkish Statistical Institute, Turkish Employment Agency, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Organization of Türkiye and similar institutions were determined. The data were first interpreted with graphics. In the following part, SWOT analysis and TOWS matrix were made. According to these analyzes, strengths and weaknesses of SMEs were determined. Opportunities and threats in the district are revealed. Matches were made with the TOWS matrix and strategies were created. As strengths, geopolitical location, agricultural structure and historical texture of the district have been determined. Weaknesses are migration problem, branding problem, decrease in the number of university students, low entrepreneurship, and economic problems. With the TOWS matrix, solutions for the problems of the district have been put forward. In addition, the advantages and disadvantages of the district were also mentioned

Keywords

• smes
• uzunkopru
• economic problems
• financial problems