Evaluation for regional digital industry development: Case from Central China

The rapid expansion of the digital economy has spawned a spectrum of digital industries, whose development hinges on an efficient spatial distribution across regions. Building on the existing digital economy frameworks, this paper decomposes the digital industry along three dimensions: technology penetration, economic benefits, and innovation capacity. We then employ an entropy weighted TOPSIS approach to systematically evaluate digital industry development across different provinces in Central China. Results reveal that the evaluation framework uncovers a structured yet gradually converging spatial pattern of digital industrial development in Central China, characterized by uneven innovation capacity, differentiated infrastructure endowments, and emerging signs of coordinated regional growth. This paper contributes by integrating a multi-dimensional evaluation framework with spatial analysis and revealing regional convergence patterns. It also offers policy recommendations for local governments, including enhancing digital infrastructure, cultivating digital talent, boosting innovation capacity, and strengthening targeted policy support for high-quality digital industry growth.