ORIGINAL RESEARCH
On the Selection and Quantification of Factors Influencing Sustainable Regional Development
 
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1
University of Niš, University Square 2, 18000 Niš, Republic of Serbia
 
2
Applied Research Division, International Clean Water Institute Manassas, 20108-0258, VA, USA, and Institute of Electronic Engineering and Nanotechnologies, “D.GHITU” of Technical University of Moldova, Academiei 3/3, Chisinau MD 2028 Moldova
 
3
University of Niš, Faculty of Occupational Safety, Čarnojevića 10a, 18000 Niš, Republic of Serbia
 
 
Submission date: 2023-11-24
 
 
Final revision date: 2024-05-30
 
 
Acceptance date: 2024-07-13
 
 
Online publication date: 2024-11-06
 
 
Publication date: 2025-07-05
 
 
Corresponding author
Dejan Vasović   

University of Niš, Faculty of Occupational Safety, Čarnojevića 10a, 18000 Niš, Republic of Serbia
 
 
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2025;34(5):5237-5248
 
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Successful regional development involves the establishment of a sustainable system between natural resources and economic and social challenges confronting the population of a particular area. There are numerous criteria that define these relationships, which can be expressed quantitatively and qualitatively. For a more reliable analysis concerning regional development, mathematical models have been developed based on their quantification and the analysis of multiple criteria to obtain alternative solutions in quantitative form, suitable for a more accurate assessment and ranking in accordance with the advantages and priority of application. This paper provides a model of the choice and quantification of factors that affect the development of the Toplica District, an area with considerable natural resources and a significant lag in its overall development. The objective of this investigation is to evaluate and rank the dominant factors that influence the development of the region under investigation in terms of natural factors (soil, water…), human factors (demographic, qualification, education…), economic factors (agriculture, tourism…), social factors (infrastructure, health…), and environmental factors (land, forest…). The methodology presented here can be used in a modified form for an analogous assessment of the development factors of any other region with similar natural and anthropogenic characteristics.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
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