A Novel Neutrosophic Distributional Competitiveness Index (NDCI) for Evaluating Time-Honored Brands under Digital Transformation: A Case Study of Anhui, China

Abstract

In the era of rapid digital transformation, traditional brand ecosystems face growing 
uncertainty in competitiveness evaluation, especially in historically rich regions such as 
Anhui, China. This paper introduces a novel Neutrosophic Distributional 
Competitiveness Index (NDCI) based entirely on neutrosophic set theory, proposing a 
fully original mathematical framework for handling truth, indeterminacy, and falsity in 
multi-dimensional competitiveness factors.
The NDCI leverages Neutrosophic Joint and Marginal Distributions to model complex 
interrelations among digital competitiveness criteria such as innovation adaptability, 
market perception, online influence, and heritage reputation under indeterminate 
environments. Furthermore, we incorporate complex-valued neutrosophic variables to 
handle periodic fluctuations and asymmetric digital transitions often observed in legacy 
brand behaviors.
The proposed model is applied as a detailed case study on time-honored brands in Anhui 
province, where we quantify and visualize the neutrosophic truth (T), indeterminacy (I), 
and falsity (F) levels associated with each competitiveness component. Analytical 
equations are fully derived, and the modeling process is supported by a rigorous 
numerical example, tabulated datasets, and verification procedures.
This paper contributes a unique perspective by creating a mathematically sound, logically 
complete, and contextually relevant methodology rooted entirely in neutrosophic theory
unexplored previously in this specific application. The proposed index has implications 
for strategic brand resilience planning and digital transformation benchmarking under 
uncertainty. 

DOi: 10.5281/zenodo.16998593