A Method for Calculating the Digital Economy Index Based on Analytic Hierarchy Process

With the rapid development of information technology and the popularization of the Internet, the digital economy (DE) has become an important engine for promoting economic growth and innovation. Exploring its measurement methods is of great significance for the economic competitiveness of countries and regions. How to improve the calculation accuracy of DE index is a key issue that urgently needs to be solved in the entire research on DE index calculation methods. Based on a comparative analysis of the main measurement methods in DE, this article analyzes the application process of Analytic Hierarchy Process in DE indicator calculation. The determination of sub indicators, construction of hierarchical structure model, creation of judgment matrix, and calculation of digital economy indicators have led to the following conclusion: the calculation accuracy of the AHP based digital economy indicator calculation method has improved by about 6%. This study provides a quantitative tool to evaluate and compare the development status of the digital economy in different regions or countries.

I. Introduction

There are many research theories on the calculation methods of the digital economy index. Miller Y V believed that value-added methods are undergoing fundamental changes in the context of the new dimensions of the DE, and analyzing them is the purpose of this article’s research [1]. A J T used LP (Levinsohn and Pertrin) semi parametric method was used to measure the Total factor productivity of Chinese listed enterprises in the DE in recent five years, and a multiple regression model was constructed [2]. Gokhberg L described a method for measuring the total internal expenditure of DE development in China, which proposed key definitions: DE, digital technology, and digital economy costs, and evaluated the entire indicator and its various components [3]. Xu J proposed a digital economy measurement method based on econometric literature to address the differences in economic scale measurement methods among different countries and institutions [4]. Zhou H R introduced the research on the measurement of the digital economy completed by the OECD and Huawei from different perspectives, and discussed the major economic and social transformation promoted by the digital economy from four aspects, namely, industrial structure, economic system, organizational system, and social structure [5]. Xu Q Y reviewed relevant research on digital economy measurement methods and compared and commented on the advantages and disadvantages of 12 international and domestic DE related indicator systems [6]. The development of digital economy index measurement methods combined with changes in their indicator systems has prompted various economic departments to effectively improve index measurement methods [7–8]. The above research theories and methods can be used to construct an indicator system for the development level of the DE, but there is a lack of experimental analysis on the accuracy of some calculation results.