Measuring digital development using DESI dimensions, GDP and AIC indicators with EU 2020 data

Abstract

The objective of our study is to produce country rankings based on objective weights that provide a comprehensive picture of the digital and economic development of the European Union (EU) Member States. To achieve this, we used a macro-level cross-sectional dataset that includes the main dimensions of the Digital

Economy and Society Index published by the European Commission, as well as the GDP per capita and AIC indicators from economic statistics. We constructed our efficiency indicators and ranked the EU Member States based on the synthesis of the digital and economic dimensions using decision-theoretic methods, two DEA models, and a TOPSIS model. These rankings aim to characterise the digital-economic strengths of EU countries and the digital divide found within the EU. Our results are also compared with those of the original DESI scoring model: the country rankings remain relatively similar, with a few notable exceptions.