An Assessment of the Southeastern Anatolia Region in Turkey in terms of the Sustainable Development Tatgets

This study aims to examine the Southeastern Anatolia Project in Turkey, which contains irrigation, energy and drinking water development schemes. The project is the biggest regional development effort ever undertaken by Turkish Government and has influenced the sustainable economic and human development targets. With the completion of each step of the project, it has been expected that there have been many important economic and social changes in Turkish regions, especially the southeast part of Turkey (called as "Southeastern Anatolia Region") and its surrounding areas. The project also interests in both Turkey and its related regions and sustainability is a major issue of concern. Following a brief introduction of the project, the paper examines the type of recent social-economic changes in the region and Turkey in terms of sustainable development components. Under the light of our investigations from different perspectives, it is observed that GAP region with its development project is very far from expectations in the point of sustainability

Can ICT Economically Catalyze a Regional GDP Per Capita Convergence? − A Case Study of Major East Asian Countries −

ICT have played a significant role in the economic growth for developed and developing countries in the world and no region has been more dynamic in recent years than East Asia, which is one of the most important geographic regions based on ICT. In this point, firstly, historical background of major East Asian countries on ICT developments is given in this study by focusing on telecommunications sector. On the other hand, we examined Gross Domestic Product （GDP） per capita income distributions of major East Asian countries in our previous study and it is observed that there are some evidences for regional convergence as a weak Beta-convergence and a strong Sigma-convergence after 1992 within homogeneous regions of major East Asian countries. Even though there have been many important empirical and theoretical studies on GDP growth related with ICT in the literature, there is no specific focusing study on how ICT can affect GDP per capita convergence among countries and its correlations with GDP per capita growths within countries. For this reason, secondly, we used a sample equation for ICT developments for each country and analyzed the correlations of unit changes within countries according to the years that played an important part resulting in regional convergence in terms of Neoclassical Growth Model. As the methodology of the study, the multiple correlation coefficient （MCC） was used by indicating the standard coefficient of correlation. Also, multiple regression analysis of the study evaluated the value of the estimations on the dependent variables by using matrix data. Finally, as the findings it is observed that there is a remarkable correlation between GDP per capita growth and ICT developments of major East Asian Countries

Start Early: Promoting Mindfulness in Primary Schools to Delay the Onset of Stress [The last paper of this journal explains how promoting ‘mindfulness’ in primary school education could provide a means of enhancing student wellbeing at school. It was written by a 4th year pre-service primary school teacher]

Primary schools are the foundational stages in the education system – an extensive seven-year period that offers both growth and development to students. During this time, an individual’s wellbeing, that is, the way an individual feels, interacts, moves, mentally functions and personally devotes themselves, is in constant evolution (DEC NSW, 2015). Healthy wellbeing is dependent on constant interaction with positive change, however, environmental factors may potentially pose negative distress, causing personal wellbeing to enter a state of imbalance (DEC NSW, 2015). This paper explains how promoting ‘mindfulness’ in primary school education, could provide a means of reducing the prevalence of psychosocial stress and enhancing overall performance at school. The practicality of this article is supported with age-related developmental and ethical considerations associated with implementing mindfulness interventions, along with a discussion of research findings

A Statistical Analysis of lCT Developments and Regional GDP per capita Convergence in Major East Asian Countries

The remarkable development in [CT (Information and Communication Technology) was observed in the past decades that it has an increasing impact on economic and social activities in the wurld. Similarly, [CT have had a significant role in the economic growth for developed and developing countries. Therefore, no region has been more dynamic in recent years than East Asia, which is one of the most important geugraphic regions based un [CT. Addit.iunally, focusing on Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita income distributions of East Asian countries in this study, it is also aimed to show that lCT and its components are closely linked with socio"economic components in macro and micro level, especially with GDP per capita components. In this regard, the Neoclassical Growth Model and its Convergence Theory are discusst'd to show the effects of [CT investments and developments as a catalyst factor that would increase the multi regional development achievements. Finally, in the light of analyses, it is observed in this study that there are some evidences for regional convergence as a weak Beta-convergence and a strong Sigma-convergence within homugeneous regions of East Asian countries in terms of GDP per capita income distributions

A comparative Study of Japan and the ROK on ICT and Economic Development: Lessons for Turkey

This study begins with the historical telecommunication backgrounds of Japan, ROK, and Turkey. These countries have similarities in the development of telecommunication sector throughout history including the privatization of the sector. However, a major dissimilarity appeared from use of the technologies and producing new technologies by the worldwide companies. The developments in ICT have strong relations with the socio-economic development of these countries. For this reason, this study focuses on; (i) economic development indicators, (ii) ICT indicators, and (iii) Principle Component Analyses. With the findings, it is aimed to find out applicable policies for Turkey. Finally, it is clearly observed that Turkey has great potential in the near future as a rapid developing country and a growing ICT market for foreign market players. However, Turkey also needs to create her own powerful and effective worldwide companies

Regional Inequalities among NUTS Level-1 Regions and Solution Efforts of Turkey

Regional development and regional planning subjects are very closely linked with the development projects in Turkey as much as in the world. The main applications and studies are usually based on the elimination of disparities among regions. Within this framework, this study has firstly aimed to set out the regional development objectives in Turkey. Secondly, we tried to find out the effect of new regional approaches on Turkish regional structure. Hence, as an approach different from other studies, we focused on NUTS (Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics) regions instead of geographical units (regions) studies. In the following parts of the study, thirdly, the efforts of Turkey about the regional development have been discussed and assessed by using Neoclassic Growth Model in terms of per capita income distributions for new region groups. To compare the results of analysis among regional units, the most important development projects for Turkey were also taken as a different approach unlike other sudies. Previous studies based on geographic regions showed that the basic tendency of per capita income distribution is 'Divergence' unlike expected 'Convergence' in Turkey, but in our study, we found more optimistic results for Turkey, in which per capita income distributions have a tendency to converge after 1997

The Management of Arable Land in Japan - An Analysis on Transition of Non-cultivated Arable Land -

In Japan, the number of full-time farm households had continued to decrease since the latter half of 20th century. The number of part-time households has been also decreasing remarkably in the last twenty years. Cultivated acreage also aligned with these tendencies and it has decreased. As a result, the farmland which is not cultivated increased and it may also grow into a social problem. Therefore, the present condition and future view of Japanese agriculture was elaborately examined in the study by analyzing the transition of non-cultivated arable lands from a historical perspective

Tourism Inventory of Okayama Prefecture: An Analysis on Main Sightseeing Spots in terms of the Number of Tourists

At the early stage of this paper, Okayama prefecture was analyzed by the author focusing on the tendency of main sightseeing-areas based on the number of tourists for three decades (Ichiminami, 2002). In this study, the main sightseeing spots in Okayama pref. are also examined and the developments are explained in a more detailed and updated perspective by extending over current features and the number of tourists. One of the important reasons in a significant increase in tourists in Okayama is the opening of the highways, the bullet train and cross-linking of the Seto Ohashi Bridge. At the same time, there are some waves in the increase or decrease of the tourist trends appearing from several vital developments such as environmental, climatic, social, economic and spatial. In this regard, research objectives of the study are mainly based on investigating and making a comprehensive study on main sightseeing spots in Okayama pref. to find new tourism values and to provide a tourism inventory of Okayama pref. by means of information, data and clues from the field in/between the tourist destinations such as hotel guests, gardens and castles. Therefore, Okayama pref. has a rich potential of historical and cultural heritage in terms of spatial planning and growth. The important point is that the structural adaptation between historical and cultural assets and the city life should be provided and protected for domestic and foreign tourism as much as creating better futures in health tourism, gastronomy tourism, cultural tourism, belief tourism, congress tourism, thematic tourism and local tourism