Evaluation of the Innovative Capacity of Provincial High-tech Industries in China based on Integrated Theil and TOPSIS

A novel evaluation model, incorporating Theil entropy into TOPSIS, is employed for investigating Chinese high-tech innovation capacity at provincial level. More specifically, the innovation capacity evaluation in high-tech industries is viewed as a Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) problem. The weights of the indicators are determined by the Theil entropy analysis, and the regions are ranked by using TOPSIS. The findings reveal that 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities are divided into six clusters and there exist huge diversities in China's provincial high-tech industries, which is consistent with reality. The results demonstrate the suitability and feasibility of the proposed evaluation model and provide an evidence-based approach for region decision-makers to promote the innovative capacity of high-tech industries.