Integral index of digitalization efficiency in the system of analyzing business ecosystem development

In the context of the accelerating digital transformation of the manufacturing sector of the Russian economy, a methodological gap persists in understanding the impact of digitalization on the performance efficiency of enterprises and business ecosystems. The purpose of this study is to develop a methodological framework for the integrated assessment of digitalization efficiency (the diffusion and application of digital technologies) within the core of an industrial ecosystem by accounting for the combined economic, operational, technical, social, and market effects. The methodological foundation of the research is based on the principles of the systems and process approaches, the concepts of enterprise digital maturity and managed business ecosystems, as well as the principles of lean production and digital management. The methodological framework includes a quantitative tool developed by the authors – an integral digitalization efficiency index (IIE), constructed using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA), normalization procedures, and weighted additive aggregation. The empirical basis of the study is represented by a case study of a B2B engineering (machine-building) enterprise. The results demonstrate a stable growth of the integral index, indicating a systemic effect of digitalization and the company’s transition from localized improvements to a mature phase of a digital ecosystem. In future research, the integrated approach may be further developed toward greater accuracy and practical applicability, enabling the transformation of the index from an analytical indicator into a sustainable managerial decision-making tool under conditions of a changing external environment. At the same time, a key limitation of the methodology is identified: the growth of the integral digitalization index should be interpreted as the result of a comprehensive transformation of enterprise activities, within which digitalization represents a significant, but not the sole, factor influencing the observed effects. 

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