<p>Tourism is an important source of economic growth for destinations, which is why the interest for destination branding has grown in recent years. Meanwhile, Destination Marketing Organisations (DMOs) often struggle to promote their destination successfully. For instance, many stakeholders influence the perception of a destination and therefore it is difficult to create a coherent image. Some destinations have a more successful destination branding, which not only depends on their marketing methods but also the pre-requisites of the city. Hence, destination branding is a complex process where there is no standard solution. Therefore, three different destinations are used as a basis for the thesis; Brussels, Istanbul and Stuttgart. What can be learned from the marketing methods in these destinations? The purpose of this thesis is to examine the current market position of Brussels, Istanbul and Stuttgart as tourist destinations and their marketing strategies and methods used to promote the destinations. We will identify general recommendations on how to improve the destination branding, and propose specific recommendations to selected DMOs in the destinations.</p><p>Through the use of specific descriptive criteria, such as unique selling points (USPs), image and marketing channels, as well as the conducting of interviews with employees in higher administrative positions within the selected DMOs, the thesis aims at providing the reader with a deeper knowledge in the field of destination branding. The Tourist Area Lifecycle Model was used to analyse the destinations to understand their situation today and future possibilities and challenges in marketing the cities as tourist destinations. Moreover, the concepts of comparative and competitive advantages and the integrative model by Ritchie and Croutch was used to discuss the competitiveness of the destinations. The research shows that DMOs face problems, such as the lack of a coherent image, common goals, the coordination of activities between DMOs in different levels and cooperation between different stakeholders. These are areas that need attention from the DMOs in order to achieve successful destination branding and are included in the conclusion, which helps DMOs to improve their marketing methods in order to achieve success in the promotion of their destination.</p>

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Chicago, Dept. of History, June 2001. / Includes bibliographical references. Also available on the Internet.

In this thesis, it is aimed to make a study on Primary Schools of Rum Minority in Istanbul, and in light of this study, to define general principles for conservation studies on these schools. Rum Minority had an important part in social and cultural life in Istanbul and in late 19th Century, their impact in the city increased with their financial power, especially in Beyoglu. Increase in number of schools they built also occurred in the same timeline. Schools built in and after this term by Rum Minority were built as important public buildings of a minority group and possess strong authenticity, technical-artistic, socio-cultural and economical values. In order to decide which values, problems and potentials these buildings bear, a site survey study is done for this thesis. Primary Schools of Rum Minority in Istanbul are among strongest solid evidences of cultural diversity in Istanbul, and Turkey. While conserving these cultural assets, considering all their values, problems, and potentialities is vital. In addition to conservation studies, interpretation and presentation are also necessary steps for reintegration of these buildings to the city. This thesis performs as an effort made to document features and current state of these schools, decide their value, problems, and potentials / and defining general conservation principles for them.

In this thesis, it is aimed to make a study on Primary Schools of Rum Minority in Istanbul, and in light of this study, to define general principles for conservation studies on these schools. Rum Minority had an important part in social and cultural life in Istanbul and in late 19th Century, their impact in the city increased with their financial power, especially in Beyoglu. Increase in number of schools they built also occurred in the same timeline. Schools built in and after this term by Rum Minority were built as important public buildings of a minority group and possess strong authenticity, technical-artistic, socio-cultural and economical values. In order to decide which values, problems and potentials these buildings bear, a site survey study is done for this thesis. Primary Schools of Rum Minority in Istanbul are among strongest solid evidences of cultural diversity in Istanbul, and Turkey. While conserving these cultural assets, considering all their values, problems, and potentialities is vital. In addition to conservation studies, interpretation and presentation are also necessary steps for reintegration of these buildings to the city. This thesis performs as an effort made to document features and current state of these schools, decide their value, problems, and potentials / and defining general conservation principles for them.

La tesis se compone de cuatro partes. La primera tiene carácter introductivo, ofreciendo un visión general de la breve pero intensa experiencia profesional de Bruno Taut en Turquía. En particular evidencia como el acercamiento a la modernidad ejercido por Taut, bajo un punto de vista teórico y práctico, haya encontrado perfecta sintonía en el contexto cultural de la joven Republica Turca. Gracias a esta empatía Taut ganó el papel privilegiado de Experto en los debates culturales de aquellos años en el país, no sólo por la propuesta de un lenguaje arquitectónico moderno y al mismo tiempo devoto a la tradición, sino también en relación a temas diferentes como el estudio de la arquitectura tradicional y los problemas debidos a su conservación. La primera parte muestra además un catálogo descriptivo de las obras realizadas y de los textos publicados en Turquía entre el año1936 y el año 1938.La segunda parte mira a los aspectos más eterminantes de la llegada de Taut como director del Departamento de Arquitectura de la Academia de Bellas Artes de Istambul y de la Oficina de Proyectos del Ministerio de Cultura. Se juntan informaciones procedentes de otros autores, de testimonios que en parte hasta este momento habían sido secundarios, de notas del diario turco de Taut y de un documento inédito, que nos permite entender la complejidad del procedimiento burocrático en el encargo que le fue confiado.La información contenida en el documento inédito, sobretodo, tiene información sobre los primeros trabajos de la Oficina de Proyectos bajo la dirección de Taut: los proyectos para las Clínicas universitarias y el Instituto de Química de la Universidad de Istambul.La tercera parte enfoca un aspecto de la actividad de Taut en Turquía hasta ahora desconocido: su papel de experto extranjero en el programa del Ministerio de Cultura para la protección de los monumentos históricos. Gracias a un artículo dedicado a la restauración del Mausoleo Verde de Bursa (una de las restauraciones más importantes de los años treinta) en el que se habla de la implicación de Taut en el proyecto, a notas de su diario y al texto de la Relación que Taut escribió para la restauración (documento inédito recuperado en Japón), la tercera parte busca hacer luz sobre esta anómala experiencia profesional, que no se limitó solo al caso Bursa sino que le implicó en otras dos importantes restauraciones de aquellos años.La Relación sobre el Mausoleo de Bursa abre un nuevo capítulo sobre la actividad de Taut en Turquía y permite reelaborar las críticas empezando por los aspectos inéditos de sus pensamientos sobre las principales problemáticas de la restauración.La cuarta y ultima parte contiene la traducción italiana de documentos: una carta del año 1916, conservada en Ankara, escrita por Taut a un destinatario desconocido, después del viaje a Istambul, en ocasión del Concurso para la Casa de la Amistad Turco-Alelmana con anexo al texto Impresiones de viaje desde Costantinopoli; el artículo-entrevista La casa Turca, Sinan, Ankara, publicado en el número de febrero de 1938 de la revista Her Ay; la Relación sobre el restauro de la Yeþil Türbe de Bursa, escrita en 1938. / This thesis is formed by four parts. First one gives up an introductory overview. It aims to depict a general frame of Bruno Taut's both short and busy professional experience in Turkey. In detail it tries to show how transversal approach to modernity claimed by Taut quite fit the specific cultural context of young Turkish Republic. Thanks to this nearness Taut gained a privileged role of Expert alongside the cultural debate under definition in the country. This role was effective both for the diffusion of an architectonic language proposing a sinthesis between modernity and tradition and for different issues such as studies about traditional architecture and consideration about monumental heritage's preservation. This first part moreover displays a sort of descriptive catalog on realized works and published texts between 1936 and 1938.Second part aims to frame most important aspects linked with Taut's debut as head of Architecture Department in the Istanbul Fine Arts Academy and of the Culture Ministry Architectural Office. Informations from different scholars, evidences untill now ignored, Taut's turkish booknote's entries and an unpublished official document compose critic machinery that allows to focus the complexity of bureaucratic iter standed behind Taut's assignment definition. Especially the official document displays precious evidences about first works Office was kept busy with under Taut's tenure: projects for Istanbul University's Medical Clinics and Chemistry Insitute.The whole third part deals with an unknown Taut's activity side: his role as foreigner Expert alongside the Culture Ministry program for historical monuments preservation. Thanks to an article about the restoration of the Green Tomb in Bursa (one of the most important restoration works in the thirties) refering to Taut's involvement, to diary's entries and to the original Report Taut drawn up about that restoration (unpublished document recovered in Japan), this part analizes this professional experience not only focusing on Bursa case study but also taking into consideration other two restoration episodes (Ottoman Market in Ankara and a series of monuments in Edirne). The Report for Bursa's Tomb opens a new chapter on Taut's activity in Turkey and allows to redefine its critical assest moving from unusual statements Taut dealt with regarding Restoration's fundamental issues.Fourth and last part is formed by some documentary fonts. It collects italian language translation of three documents: a letter, kept in Ankara, Taut wrote in 1916 to an unknown person after the trip in Istanbul on the eve of the competition for the German-Turkish Friendship House and the text Trip's impressions from Costantinople, the interview Turkish house, Sinan, Ankara pubblished in Her Ay magazine on february 1938, the Report on Green Tomb Restoration in Bursa written in 1938.

This study examines the relationship between SAHA’s corporate governance rating score and firm performance in Turkey for the period between 2008, 2009 and 2010. The purpose of study is to analyze whether there is a relationship between Saha’s corporate governance score which is based on the principles of Capital Market Board of Turkey and firm performance for 16 companies listed in corporate governance index Istanbul Stock Exchange (ISE) by using Saha’s Corporate Governance. It also aims to determine this relationship by attempting to answer the question of whether better governed firms as measured by high corporate governance score have higher firm performance in Turkey. With this purpose three analyses were conducted and random effect model, one type of panel data, is used to analyze whether there is a relationship between corporate governance and firm performance. The conceptual framework for this study is a combinationan of approaches to agency, stakeholder and stewardship theory. Panel data is created as unbalanced data and random effect model is used.Accounting based performance measures of firms: return on asset, return on equity and returnon sales were used to compare with Saha’s Corporate Governance Rating Score based on four sub-indices: 1) shareholder rights, 2) public disclosure and transparency, 3) stakeholders and 4) board of directors. The results based on Saha’s Corporate Governance Score show that corporate governance does matter in Turkey. The study shows that better governed firms measured by high corporate governance score have better performance in Turkey. The result of regressing return on asset, return on equity against Saha’s corporate governance rating score indicates that there is a significantly relationship between corporate governance and firm performace. However, the result of regressing return on sales indicates that there is no statistically significant relation between Saha’s corporate governance score and return on sales.

Tourism is an important source of economic growth for destinations, which is why the interest for destination branding has grown in recent years. Meanwhile, Destination Marketing Organisations (DMOs) often struggle to promote their destination successfully. For instance, many stakeholders influence the perception of a destination and therefore it is difficult to create a coherent image. Some destinations have a more successful destination branding, which not only depends on their marketing methods but also the pre-requisites of the city. Hence, destination branding is a complex process where there is no standard solution. Therefore, three different destinations are used as a basis for the thesis; Brussels, Istanbul and Stuttgart. What can be learned from the marketing methods in these destinations? The purpose of this thesis is to examine the current market position of Brussels, Istanbul and Stuttgart as tourist destinations and their marketing strategies and methods used to promote the destinations. We will identify general recommendations on how to improve the destination branding, and propose specific recommendations to selected DMOs in the destinations. Through the use of specific descriptive criteria, such as unique selling points (USPs), image and marketing channels, as well as the conducting of interviews with employees in higher administrative positions within the selected DMOs, the thesis aims at providing the reader with a deeper knowledge in the field of destination branding. The Tourist Area Lifecycle Model was used to analyse the destinations to understand their situation today and future possibilities and challenges in marketing the cities as tourist destinations. Moreover, the concepts of comparative and competitive advantages and the integrative model by Ritchie and Croutch was used to discuss the competitiveness of the destinations. The research shows that DMOs face problems, such as the lack of a coherent image, common goals, the coordination of activities between DMOs in different levels and cooperation between different stakeholders. These are areas that need attention from the DMOs in order to achieve successful destination branding and are included in the conclusion, which helps DMOs to improve their marketing methods in order to achieve success in the promotion of their destination.

This thesis focuses on the late period mosques of architect Sinan in terms of their structural systems, the relation with their environment, and the identities of their patrons. The links amongst the role of the patron, his or her status in the state, materials used in the mosques, location choice and the spatial distribution of the mosques are researched on the bases of these six late period mosques of Sinan. In this perspective, the social background of the Ottoman Empire in the sixteenth century is the first focal point of the thesis. The relations between the decadence of the institutions, the political conditions of the Ottoman Empire and the architectural production during the last quarter of the sixteenth century are examined in the second chapter of this thesis. In the third chapter these six late period mosques as the sampling case are described in detail and evaluated in terms of their bearing systems, construction materials, the site features and the relation with their patrons. Though, being one of the favorite subjects in the Ottoman architectural history, there are many research and interpretations on Sinan&amp / #8217 / s architectural style, works on late period mosques are limited and not specifically focused. In the fourth chapter of the study these limited interpretations are brought together and evaluated in the light of the background information supplied in the previous chapter of the thesis. In this framework, the aim of this study is not only to assess the late period works of Sinan as a tool to trace his architectural process, but also to unveil the relations with the identities of the patrons and locational and structural features of the mosques.

This thesis presents a critical reading of the multilayeredness in contemporary cities through the case of Divanyolu, main road of the historical istanbul. The ground in this case displays the fragmented character, so in order to follow the discontinuities in the morphological, economical, cultural and also hypothetic structures / this study will concentrate on the confrontation of layers within the framework of modernization process in the city. Beyond many possible discussions questioning the multiplicity of Istanbul, this study aims to encompass the specific character of the modernization process observed in Divanyolu. Furthermore, the information derived from the evaluation can suggest an exemplary framework for the new grounds in the multilayered sites, which is actually the other aim of the study. Within this framework, Divanyolu is chosen as a major urban case to discuss the complexity of the stratified ground. It was an example of a stratified ground being the main thoroughfare of the Ottoman Capital, which formed the important network from the Topkapi Palace to the Edirne Gate. The road has been the stage for the modernization process beginning from the 19th century to the present. With the different stage modernization process, the ground displayed the fragmented character. In this thesis, the main dynamics of this partial transformation will be evaluated.

The main aim of the thesis is to analyse the recent socio-spatial patterns of Istanbul, in which squatter areas on publicly-owned land (gecekondu) and old historical centre of the city are subjected to regeneration projects, under the impact of making Istanbul a purified place for the significant social classes via exclusion of the others. The formulations of Henri Lefebvre for analysing the production of (social) space are used as the conceptual framework of the thesis. To reveal the case study, the recent urban regeneration projects in Istanbul, a wide range of qualitative data collection techniques and methodology, documentary analysis, in-depth interviews, participant observations, which will pave a way to understand the complex relations among social and spatial formations, are used. According to the analysis on the acceleration of urban regeneration projects in the city of Istanbul, the thesis argues two main points: Firstly, the specificity of urbanisation period in Istanbul after 2000 is characterised with the strong role of the central state, mainly MHA. Secondly, the people, who are living in the gecekondu areas and old historical centres in the inner city are not only evicted from their living spaces, they are also socially and spatially excluded from the city centres.