What do I actually do in TOBB? (Week 3 TOBB)

In the first week I stayed in TOBB, I have visited the following departments:

1. Foreign Economic Relations Department (with International Relations Division and Foreign Trade Division)

2. Department of European Department (with EU Harmonization and Negotiation Unit and EU Project Development and Monitoring Division)

3. Information Service Department (with Database and Information Retrieval Division , IT Division, Library and Turkish Trade Registry Gazette)

The above three are under office of Deputy Secretary General (Foreign Economic Affairs).

4. Trade and TIR Department (unfortunately I have only visited one of its division, that is Fair Division)

5. Sector R&D and Implementation Department (with Economic Research and Statistics Division, and Training and Quality Department, Division of SME Research and Consultancy Center, Industry Division, Insurance Division, Quality and Environmental Division, etc.)

They are headed by Deputy Secretary General (Technical Affairs).
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Foreign Economic Relations Department



Department of European Department

I met Nurten, Burcin, Banu,Hande, Ilke, Ela, Irmak, Tugce, Beigin, Burcu, Merih, Petek, Werner and of course Mustafa, the helpful department head.

i. Headed by Werner, an experienced project manager from Austria who established a bank before, the EU Project Development and Monitoring Division is responsible to monitor the progress of implementation of European Union Law by the Turkish private sector. Since Turkey is now under the assessment period for the membership of European Union, it is crucial to ensure the private sector to follow the Environmental Charter about climate change, water for example, Entrepreneurship (say, women entrepreneurship), Intellectual Property Right and the Legislature regulating the industrial sector.

ii. Besides, the duties of Harmonization and Negotiation Unit headed by Petek, a PhD in political science, is to coordinate the problems due to liberalization of the economy by running the consultancy system, providing the guidance for foreign companies who are interested in Turkish market, enhancing the competitiveness of SMES with credit guarantee.

iii. It is interesting to mention that there is a European Information Centre in which numerous publications are available for the employees to study (This remind that I have to find two books, one is “The ABC of Community Law by Dr. Klaus-Dietor Borchandt , and “Access to Europe: Guide to Community, thank you Sinem here who are master in Military Academy :D ).

Information Service Department

i. Introduced by Salih (which literately means “Good Man”), I know Turkish Trade Registry Gazette, which publish the Gazette authorizing and announce the legal establishment of company, is the most profit-making company: D

Trade and TIR Department

Sector R&D and Implementation Department

i. Industrial Division is responsible for preparing the capacity reports of the industries in Turkey by setting the criteria for the report, collecting relevant data, transfer the data into the industrial data base. Capacity Reports are prepared and updated every three years. The capacity, the maximum amount each industry and company can produce by fully utilizing the available machines and facilities, etc., is essential for both local and foreign enterprises for processing-trade, outsourcing and supply chain decisions.

ii. Fiscal and Social Policies Directorate is in charge of influencing the governmental policies on fiscal and social realm. That is to say, having collected the opinions of the private sector, the division has to lobby the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Labor and Social Security, and other involve parties, through email or in the various councils, included but not limited to: the Tax Advisory Council, Garment Council, Policies and General Council and Social Policies Council. Seeing that Fiscal and Social Policies of the government are significantly influential to the macroeconomic management, the division is strategically important for the sake of interest of private sector.

iii. The contribution of SMEs in Turkey to the economy, according to 2003 figures, are situated as followings: 99% of all enterprises, 76.7% of employment, 26.5% of investment, 10% of exports and the credits they have are 25% of the total credits.
At a glance, we could see that despite the fact that almost all the enterprises in Turkey are classified as small and medium sizes (with reference to EU classification), which contribute to more than three quarters of job opportunities, SMEs, nevertheless, are at relatively weak position if the portions of exports and credits they have are concerned. In other words, SMEs face difficulties when they complete with multinational companies for the oversea markets and sources of financing.

Leaving aside their lack of assessment of finance and foreign markets, SMEs, in addition, suffer the problem of shortage in skilled labors and of insufficient channels to assess about the government policies.

Therefore, SMEs Division is committed to assist the development of SMEs indirectly at provincial level (since TOBB is Union of Chambers and so the direct responsibility lies on the local chamber instead) by various means.

iv. Insurance Division is responsible for judging the qualification of the Loss Adjustors, who values the damaged equipments, and of other 5648 insurance companies (legal entity) under the registration and information system. The division also gives the suggestion to the Authority in regard to the legislature concerning insurance sector. According to Koksal Bay, the profit of insurance companies of Turkey is dramatically huge, equivalent to 2.38 billion US dollars (and I own him the corresponding figures of HK!). For more information, please visit www.turkstat.gov.tr

v. The duty of Division of Economic Reporting and Statistics is to publish the statistic and press release of the joint-stock companies, limited and unlimited companies.

vi. Division of Training and Quality headed by Halil Bay (Mr. Guler), my most favorite division, first of all schedules the training program for member Chambers and Commodity Exchanges, TOBB staff, Third Party and even Secretary General and Presidency. The training programs are tailor-made which address the need of the attendee. The division is also authorized to manage and audit the quality of the operation and environment of TOBB in accordance with the ISO 9001 since 2003. The very goal of this commitment of ISO stand is to achieve the standardization, as suggested by British Chambers of Commerce.

What do I actually do in TOBB? (Introduction)

TOBB, the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey

I am now having my trainee program here and this program will be ended on 16th July.

Impressive the headquarters seem to be, but what does TOBB actually do, or to be more specific, what is my trainee program about?

In general, because I am a foreigner from Far East here, so my internship program is quite different from those local Turkish interns who usually work in a particular department or division for 1 to 3 months and are treated as other normal employees, fortunately or unfortunately. Well, my trainee program is nevertheless similar to a management trainee program in which I could have chances to work in all departments, to investigate all divisions, and even spend my time in various affiliated and subsidiary organizations, with the guidance and introduction by the supervisor or even department head there.


I will summarize all my duties, experiences and observations in each week respectively as followings, and hopefully it may help you understand the mission and vision of this respectful Union, I would say:

Week 1 1st June to 4th June

Week 2 7th June to 11st June


Week 3 14th to 18th June



Week 4 21st June to 25th June


Week 5 28th June to 3rd July



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Week 6 5th July to 9th July




Week 7 12nd July to 16th July



(To be completed)

A Chinese guy in Turkey

Asian (East Asian to be exact, in contrast to Central Asian) is eye-attracting in Turkey, it is especially so in Ankara, the capital of Turkey, which is not a city for tourism. Rarely could you see any Asian in this metropolis, since even in Istanbul, Asian tourists are not quite common as those from Middle East and Europe. (But as a matter of fact, I met a girl from Taiwan, who majors in English and Turkish, on my first day in Bilkent Campus).

Because of my style of dressing, Turkish people usually regard me as Japanese at the first place. Well, after I greet them in Japanese and then tell them I am from China, they always happily simile on me, saying surprisingly, "wow, Chi!".

As far as I feel, they love China, or at least far away from disliking Chinese, since roughly speaking China is neither politically nor cultural offensive to Turkey, and China is a dynamic developing country, just like Turkey, to their mind.

Interestingly, they know China for sure, and even Hong Kong, but to the extent China is still rather mysterious to them. This is perhaps not difficult to understand, while in fact to many people in East Asia Turkey is probably also a country of myths, because the cultural, political, and socioeconomic linkage between this Eurasian country and East Asia is not as strong as the relationship between Turkey and Western countries, at least status quo.

This is why they are interested in me, and quite often look at me curiously, since the very fact is -- I am a real Chinese in Ankara talking with them in simple Turkish (Merhaba?), and laugh with them wholeheartedly.

One of our common topics, of course, is Chinese Kung Fu. Well, they know Jackie Chan. Food, culture, or even Chinese girls are some of our typical topics (Turkish boys love talking about girls, especially with Abi, that is, brother). A difficult question which embarrass me so much is--Do you have any Turkish girl friend? The official response is, I love Galatasaray, a famous football team from Istanbul.

People in Ankara are helpful and kind, passionate and easy-going. We are pleased to greet each other, exchange contact, usually Facebook, even though I may be just one of the strangers on the bus. As I said, Ankara is not a tourist city, it may be a political one (and in fact it is), but definitely not a commercial city in which people earn a living through tourism. In their eyes, I am thus not a tourist from who they could make money, but a friend from Mysterious China, the Far East. People in Ankara are the real Turkish with full of enthusiasm and friendliness.

I love Turkey, and of course the real Turkish people I met up to now. But perhaps, one of the important reasons why I have received so many favorable treatments is because I am a guy, a boy, but not a girl. More about gender inequality, see you next time.

Merhaba Turkey !

After a unbelievably long journey (>24 hours, so sad), I have finally arrived at the Ankara, the capital of the Republic of Turkey. From Dubai to Istanbul, from Istanbul to Ankara, much of my extra effort and time has been spent on waiting and searching the corresponding transport. Theoretically speaking, Lonely planet and the information I collected previously could help. But their guidance is much less useful in practice, seeing the very fact that accidents (delay, traffic jam for e.g.) are somehow not uncommon.


Despite of this exhausting long travelling time, Turkey make an extraordinarily favorable impression upon me, which is initially unexpected. Having met Turkish citizens, students, and even businessmen, I personally find Turkish people are kind and helpful. Even though usually there is language barrier between us, I could feel their enthusiasm to help. I will upload some of their photos ASAP!

Indeed, I am particularly impressed by the staff and students in Bilkent university in which I am living. Their eagerness and kindness are reflected by their every most favorable treatment of me in arranging my dormitory, internet service, etc., and by their whole-heartedly attempts to answer my questions comprehensively (though sometimes the answer may not be so accurate). Perhaps I could say comparing with some other ilopers, my arrangement of accommodation is therefore distinctively (and unfairly) good.


Exhausted my body might originally be, the warmest welcome given by the Turk has cheered me up! I will do my best to fulfill my coming duties from my internship starting tomorrow :D !

Perhaps next time I will talk about ethnic diversity in Turkey and how their attitudes toward me as a Chinese.