According to the Evaluations of Custom Brokers, the Impact of Regional Crises and Tensions on Foreign Trade

Abstract

Customs consultants, one of the important actors of foreign trade, play an important role in the management of trade and the fulfillment of customs procedures. The aim of this research is to evaluate the impact of regional crises on foreign trade according to the observations and evaluations of customs consultants. In this context, the study population was determined as customs consultants operating in Istanbul. The sample consists of 27 customs consultants determined by selective sampling technique. The research was designed qualitatively and the data was obtained from semi-structured interviews conducted with the study group. Content analysis was applied to the data obtained in the research and the findings obtained are presented in tables. According to the findings, regional crises and tensions have both positive and negative reflections on Turkish foreign trade. When transit passages and new market searches are combined with the importance brought by Turkey's geographical location, positive reflections on foreign trade are seen. However, on the contrary, the problems in logistics and supply chain and the inability to ensure production continuity draw attention as important threats. From the research findings, it is understood that customs consultants not only regulate the technical aspects of trade but also make significant contributions to reducing the negative effects of crises, but these contributions are not effectively evaluated.