Methodology for Assessing the Economic Sustainability of Family Enterprises in the Service Sector and its Practical Application

This article examines a comprehensive methodology for assessing the economic sustainability of family enterprises operating in the service sector and its empirical application in the Samarkand region. Economic sustainability is assessed through three interrelated components: financial stability, economic efficiency, and income stability. The methodology covers nine indicators, which are normalized using the min–max method and aggregated into a weighted composite index. Indicator weights are informed by expert assessments obtained through a three-round Delphi process. The empirical basis comprises 118 family service enterprises selected from 12 districts and cities, 23 in-depth interviews, and assessments by 15 experts. The calculations show that the average integrated sustainability index is 0.276, while 86.4 percent of the enterprises fall into the low-sustainability group. The findings indicate the need to improve liquidity management, financial reserves, management quality, and the management of income fluctuations.