The LESG Index for Assessing Structural Coherence in National Development Systems

This study introduces the LESG index, a composite analytical framework designed to assess the structural coherence of national development systems by integrating logistics capability, governance quality, and sustainability performance. Traditional development metrics evaluate these dimensions separately, limiting their ability to capture systemic interactions. Using cross-country data for 123 countries, the LESG index is constructed through normalization procedures and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to derive a composite indicator reflecting the multivariate structure of the selected dimensions. Cluster analysis is subsequently applied to identify distinct structural development regimes. The results indicate a consistent empirical association between the LESG index and broader development outcomes, while also highlighting heterogeneous configurations of logistics capability, institutional quality, and sustainability performance across countries. These findings suggest that composite indicators can provide useful diagnostic tools for examining the structural alignment of development conditions beyond single-dimension metrics. The LESG framework contributes an integrated perspective for analyzing national development systems and offers a basis for future research on the structural conditions supporting sustainable economic transformation.