INTEGRATED ASSESSMENT OF THE STRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE ENTREPRENEURSHIP SECTOR IN UZBEKISTAN USING AN AHP–ENTROPY–TOPSIS MODEL

Abstract

This article proposes a multi-criteria integral model based on the AHP–Entropy–TOPSIS framework to assess the structural development of the entrepreneurship sector across Uzbekistan’s regions. Fourteen indicators are grouped into quantitative-structural, innovation, institutional and territorial-balance blocks. AHP captures expert priorities, Shannon entropy provides an objective statistical weighting component, and TOPSIS ranks regions according to their proximity to the ideal solution. The AHP weights are 0.357 for innovation, 0.335 for territorial balance, 0.198 for quantitative-structural factors and 0.110 for the institutional environment. Using official data for the first quarter of 2026, Tashkent city records the highest closeness coefficient (CC=0.812), followed by Tashkent region (0.724), while Syrdarya has the lowest value (0.386). Compared with monocriteria assessment, the model improves the identification of structural imbalances by functional block and supports differentiated regional policy.