Research of development strategy on China’s rural drinking water supply based on SWOT–TOPSIS method combined with AHP-Entropy: a case in Hebei Province

Abstract

China will complete the construction of the rural drinking water supply (RDWS) before 2015 and more than 508 million rural residents have gained benefits in the past 9 years. As the application of RDWS becomes more and more significant for the living environment and the social stability, a strategic plan is desperately needed for the development of China’s RDWS. In this paper, a quantitative SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis framework is proposed using the TOPSIS method combined with Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Shannon’s Entropy. An integrated model of SWOT–TOPSIS method is developed, presenting an effective tool for the development strategy research of China’s RDWS. To further illustrate the utility of the model, a case study of Hebei Province of China is proposed and the development strategy is suggested.