Journals / Uluslararası İşletme Bilimi ve Uygulamaları Dergisi / 2026 / Cilt: 6 Sayı: 1

Urban Marketability Index (UMI) Design: A Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Approach Using AHP-TOPSIS for the Case of Kahramanmaraş

Kentsel Pazarlanabilirlik Endeksi (UMI) Tasarımı: Kahramanmaraş Örneğinde AHP–TOPSIS Kullanılarak Çok Kriterli Karar Verme Yaklaşımı

Ömer Büyükbaş(KAHRAMANMARAŞ SÜTÇÜ İMAM ÜNİVERSİTESİ)0000-0002-4415-3450
Hamdi Ayyıldız(KAHRAMANMARAŞ SÜTÇÜ İMAM ÜNİVERSİTESİ, KAHRAMANMARAŞ SAĞLIK HİZMETLERİ MESLEK YÜKSEKOKULU)0000-0001-6280-7182
Pages
22–36
Publication Date
2026-04-29
DOI
—
🏛️Bibliographic metadata and full text access for this article are provided via DergiPark.
DergiPark Record ↗
✨

AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

The results show that the most effective factors of Kahramanmaraş's competitiveness are “Cultural heritage and tourist attraction” (weight: 0.282) and “Transportation and accessibility" (weight: 0.214). the final UMI rating equal to 0.713 (on a scale of 0-1) shows that although Kahramanmaraş has a high tourist and gastronomic attractiveness, improving the international advertising and logistics infrastructure can significantly increase its competitiveness.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

🎯
Objective & Hypothesis:This study uses the Urban Marketability Index (UMI) as a methodological framework to evaluate the competitive position of the city of Kahramanmaraş (Turkey).
📊
Key Findings & Data:Economic, socio-cultural, infrastructure and tourism criteria are positioned according to the ideal solution and integrated into a holistic marketability index through the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) and TOPSIS methods.
💡
Conclusion & Impact:The results show that the most effective factors of Kahramanmaraş's competitiveness are “Cultural heritage and tourist attraction” (weight: 0.282) and “Transportation and accessibility" (weight: 0.214). the final UMI rating equal to 0.713 (on a scale of 0-1) shows that although Kahramanmaraş has a high tourist and gastronomic attractiveness, improving the international advertising and logistics infrastructure can significantly increase its competitiveness.
🔬Design:Survey & Empirical Study
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:Kentsel Pazarlama · Pazarlanabilirlik Endeksi · Analitik Hiyerarşi Süreci (AHS)

Abstract

This study uses the Urban Marketability Index (UMI) as a methodological framework to evaluate the competitive position of the city of Kahramanmaraş (Turkey). Economic, socio-cultural, infrastructure and tourism criteria are positioned according to the ideal solution and integrated into a holistic marketability index through the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) and TOPSIS methods. The methodology includes the weighting of each sub-criteria and the evaluation of the effectiveness through expert opinions based on the survey data. The results show that the most effective factors of Kahramanmaraş's competitiveness are “Cultural heritage and tourist attraction” (weight: 0.282) and “Transportation and accessibility" (weight: 0.214). the final UMI rating equal to 0.713 (on a scale of 0-1) shows that although Kahramanmaraş has a high tourist and gastronomic attractiveness, improving the international advertising and logistics infrastructure can significantly increase its competitiveness.

Özet

Bu çalışma, şehirlerin rekabetçi konumlarını değerlendirmek amacıyla Kentsel Pazarlanabilirlik Endeksi (KPE) önerisinde bulunmakta ve Türkiye'den Kahramanmaraş ili örnek olay olarak ele alınmaktadır. Analitik Hiyerarşi Süreci (AHS) ve İdeal Çözüme Benzerliğe Göre Tercih Sıralaması Tekniği (TOPSIS) kullanılarak ekonomik, sosyo-kültürel, altyapı ve turizm kriterleri bütüncül bir pazarlanabilirlik puanına entegre edilmiştir. Yöntem kapsamında kriter ağırlıklarının belirlenmesi için uzman görüşlerine başvurulmuş, alt kriterlerin performans puanlaması ise anket çalışmaları aracılığıyla gerçekleştirilmiştir. Elde edilen sonuçlar, “Kültürel Miras ve Turizm Çekiciliği” (ağırlık: 0,282) ile “Ulaşım ve Erişilebilirlik” (ağırlık: 0,214) kriterlerinin Kahramanmaraş’ın pazarlanabilirliği üzerinde en etkili faktörler olduğunu ortaya koymaktadır. Nihai KPE puanı 0,713 (0–1 ölçeğinde) olarak hesaplanmış olup, bu durum Kahramanmaraş’ın güçlü turizm ve gastronomi potansiyeline sahip olduğunu göstermektedir. Ancak, uluslararası tanıtım ve lojistik altyapının geliştirilmesi, kentin rekabet gücünü önemli ölçüde artırabilecektir.

🔖

Cite This Article

Büyükbaş, Ö., Ayyıldız, H. (2026). Urban Marketability Index (UMI) Design: A Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Approach Using AHP-TOPSIS for the Case of Kahramanmaraş. Uluslararası İşletme Bilimi ve Uygulamaları Dergisi, Cilt: 6 Sayı: 1, 22–36. https://ajindex.com/articles/1623505

📄 Full Text PDF Viewer

📄

PDF görüntüleyici hazırlanıyor...

References (61)

  1. Anholt, S. (2007). Competitive identity: The new brand management for nations, cities and regions. Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230627727
  2. Anholt, S. (2010). Places: Identity, image and reputation. Palgrave Macmillan. https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-0-230-25128-1
  3. Ashworth, G. J., & Voogd, H. (1990). Selling the city: Marketing approaches in public sector urban planning. Belhaven Press.
  4. Avraham, E., & Ketter, E. (2008). Media strategies for marketing places in crisis: Improving the image of cities, countries and tourist destinations. Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780080557076
  5. Banister, D., & Berechman, Y. (2001). Transport investment and the promotion of economic growth. Journal of Transport Geography, 9(3), 209–218. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0966-6923(01)00013-8
  6. Behzadian, M., Otaghsara, S. K., Yazdani, M., & Ignatius, J. (2012). A state-of-the-art survey of TOPSIS applications. Expert Systems with Applications, 39(17), 13051–13069. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eswa.2012.05.056
  7. Bessière, J. (1998). Local development and heritage: Traditional food and cuisine as tourist attractions in rural areas. Sociologia Ruralis, 38(1), 21–34. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9523.00061
  8. Boisen, M., Terlouw, K., Groote, P., & Couwenberg, O. (2018). Reframing place promotion, place marketing, and place branding—moving beyond conceptual confusion. Cities, 80, 4–11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2017.08.021
  9. Braun, E. (2012). Putting city branding into practice. Journal of Brand Management, 19(4), 257–267. https://doi.org/10.1057/bm.2011.55
  10. Camagni, R., Capello, R., & Nijkamp, P. (1998). Towards sustainable city policy: An economy–environment technology nexus. Ecological Economics, 24(1), 103–118. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0921-8009(97)00032-3
  11. Crouch, G. I. (2007). Modelling destination competitiveness: A survey and analysis of the impact of competitiveness attributes (Sustainable Tourism: PATA Foundation Research Report, 1–63). Pacific Asia Travel Association.
  12. Dinnie, K. (2011). City branding: Theory and cases. Palgrave Macmillan.
  13. Dunning, J. H. (1998). Location and the multinational enterprise: A neglected factor? Journal of International Business Studies, 29(1), 45–66. https://doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.jibs.8490024
  14. Florida, R. (2002). The rise of the creative class: And how it's transforming work, leisure, community, and everyday life. Basic Books.
  15. Forman, E., & Gass, S. (2001). The analytic hierarchy process—An exposition. Operations Research, 49(4), 469–486. https://doi.org/10.1287/opre.49.4.469.11231
  16. Gehl, J. (2010). Cities for people. Island Press.
  17. Giffinger, R., Fertner, C., Kramar, H., Kalasek, R., Pichler-Milanović, N., & Meijers, E. (2007). Smart cities: Ranking of European medium-sized cities. Vienna University of Technology, Centre of Regional Science. http://www.smart-cities.eu
  18. Glaeser, E. L., Scheinkman, J. A., & Shleifer, A. (1995). Economic growth in a cross-section of cities. Journal of Monetary Economics, 36(1), 117–143. https://doi.org/10.1016/0304-3932(95)01206-2
  19. Goffi, G. (2013). A model of destination competitiveness: The case of Italian destinations. Tourism and Hospitality Management, 19(2), 153–172.
  20. Golden, B. L., & Wang, Q. (1989). An alternate measure of consistency. In B. L. Golden, E. A. Wasil, & P. T. Harker (Eds.), The analytic hierarchy process: Applications and studies (pp. 68–81). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-50244-6_5
  21. Govers, R., & Go, F. M. (2009). Place branding: Glocal, virtual and physical identities, constructed, imagined and experienced. Palgrave Macmillan.
  22. Graham, A. (2014). Managing airports: An international perspective (4th ed.). Routledge.
  23. Hankinson, G. (2007). The management of destination brands: Five guiding principles based on recent developments in corporate branding theory. Journal of Brand Management, 14(3), 240–254. https://doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.bm.2550065
  24. Hosseini, S., & Khaled, A. A. (2019). A hybrid ensemble and AHP approach for resilient supplier selection. Journal of Intelligent Manufacturing, 30(1), 207-228. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10845-016-1241-y
  25. Hwang, C. L., & Yoon, K. (1981). Multiple attribute decision making: Methods and applications. Springer. https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-642-48318-9
  26. Insch, A., & Florek, M. (2010). Place satisfaction of city residents: Findings and implications for city branding. Journal of Place Management and Development, 3(1), 5–17. https://doi.org/10.4337/9781849806398.00017
  27. Ishizaka, A., & Labib, A. (2011). Review of the main developments in the analytic hierarchy process. Expert Systems with Applications, 38(11), 14336–14345. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eswa.2011.04.143
  28. Jucevičius, R., & Grumadaitė, K. (2014). Smart development of cities: Theoretical conceptions. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 156, 780–785.
  29. Kahraman, C., Cebeci, U., & Ulukan, Z. (2003). Multi-criteria supplier selection using fuzzy AHP. Logistics Information Management, 16(6), 382–394. https://doi.org/10.1108/09576050310503367
  30. Kavaratzis, M. (2004). From city marketing to city branding: Towards a theoretical framework for developing city brands. Place Branding, 1(1), 58–73. https://doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.pb.5990005
  31. Kavaratzis, M., & Ashworth, G. J. (2006). City branding: An effective assertion of identity or a transitory marketing trick? Place Branding, 2(3), 183–194. https://doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.pb.5990056
  32. Komninos, N. (2002). Intelligent cities: Innovation, knowledge systems and digital spaces. Routledge.
  33. Kotler, P., Haider, D. H., & Rein, I. (1993). Marketing places: Attracting investment, industry, and tourism to cities, states, and nations. The Free Press.
  34. Magnoni, F., Colucci, M., & Ungaro, A. (2021). Building place brand equity through place brand heritage and brand experience: An empirical study. Tourism Management Perspectives, 38, 100810. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2021.04.069
  35. Neumayer, E. (2004). The impact of political violence on tourism: Dynamic cross-national estimation. Journal of Conflict Resolution, 48(2), 259–281. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022002703262358
  36. Nunnally, J. C. (1978). Psychometric theory (2nd ed.). McGraw-Hill.
  37. Oh, H., Fiore, A. M., & Jeoung, M. (2007). Measuring experience economy concepts: Tourism applications. Journal of Travel Research, 46(2), 119–132. https://doi.org/10.1177/0047287507304039
  38. Okumus, B., Okumus, F., & McKercher, B. (2007). Incorporating local and international cuisines in the marketing of tourism destinations: The cases of Hong Kong and Turkey. Tourism Management, 28(1), 253–261. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2005.12.020
  39. Opricovic, S., & Tzeng, G. H. (2004). Compromise solution by MCDM methods: A comparative analysis of VIKOR and TOPSIS. European Journal of Operational Research, 156(2), 445–455. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0377-2217(03)00020-1
  40. Pike, S. (2004). Destination Marketing Organisations. Elsevier.
  41. Pine, B. J., & Gilmore, J. H. (1999). The experience economy: Work is theatre & every business a stage. Harvard Business School Press.
  42. Pojani, D., & Stead, D. (2015). Sustainable urban transport in the developing world: Beyond megacities. Sustainability, 7(6), 7784–7805. https://doi.org/10.3390/su7067784
  43. Porter, M. E. (1995). The competitive advantage of the inner city. Harvard Business Review, 73(3), 55–71.
  44. Rainisto, S. K. (2003). Success factors of place marketing: A study of place marketing practices in Northern Europe and the United States (Doctoral dissertation, Helsinki University of Technology).
  45. Reisi, M., Aye, L., Rajabifard, A., Ngo, T., & Ngo, T. D. (2019). Sustainability assessment of urban transport systems: A case study of Melbourne, Australia. Sustainable Cities and Society, 44, 56–66. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2014.03.004
  46. Richards, G. (2018). Cultural tourism: A review of recent research and trends. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 36, 12–21. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhtm.2018.03.005
  47. Ritchie, J. R. B., & Crouch, G. I. (2003). The competitive destination: A sustainable tourism perspective. Cambridge, MA: CABI Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1079/9780851996646.0000
  48. Rodrigue, J.-P., Comtois, C., & Slack, B. (2017). The geography of transport systems (4th ed.). Routledge.
  49. Roszkowska, E. (2013). Rank ordering criteria weighting methods – A comparative overview. Optimum. Studia Ekonomiczne, 5(65), 14–33. https://doi.org/10.15290/ose.2013.05.65.02
  50. Saaty, T. L., & Vargas, L. G. (2012). Models, methods, concepts & applications of the analytic hierarchy process (2nd ed.). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-3597-6
  51. Saaty, T. L. (2008). Decision making with the analytic hierarchy process. International Journal of Services Sciences, 1(1), 83–98. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJSSCI.2008.017590
  52. Shih, H. S., Shyur, H. J., & Lee, E. S. (2007). An extension of TOPSIS for group decision making. Mathematical and Computer Modelling, 45(7-8), 801–813. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mcm.2006.03.023
  53. Turskis, Z., Zavadskas, E. K., Antucheviciene, J., & Kosareva, N. (2015). A hybrid model based on fuzzy AHP and fuzzy WASPAS for construction site selection. International Journal of Computers, Communications & Control, 10(3), 361–371. https://doi.org/10.15837/ijccc.2015.6.2078
  54. Uchinaka, S., Yoganathan, V., & Osburg, V.-S. (2019). Classifying residents’ roles as online place-ambassadors. Tourism Management, 71, 137–150. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2018.10.008
  55. UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization). (2022). World heritage list. https://whc.unesco.org
  56. World Bank. (2020). World Development Indicators. https://data.worldbank.org
  57. World Health Organization. (2016). Monitoring health for the SDGs.
  58. Zavadskas, E. K., Turskis, Z., & Kildienė, S. (2014). State of art surveys of overviews on MCDM/MADM methods. Technological and Economic Development of Economy, 20(1), 165–179. https://doi.org/10.3846/20294913.2014.892037
  59. Zenker, S., & Martin, N. (2011). Measuring success in place marketing and branding. Place Branding and Public Diplomacy, 7(1), 32–41. https://doi.org/10.1057/pb.2011.5
  60. Zenker, S., & Rütter, N. (2014). Is satisfaction the key? The role of citizen satisfaction, place attachment and place brand attitude on positive citizenship behavior. Cities, 38, 11–17. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2013.12.009
  61. Zenker, S., & Seigis, A. (2012). Respect and the city: The mediating role of respect in citizen participation. Journal of Place Management and Development, 5(1), 20–34. https://doi.org/10.1108/17538331211209022