Econometric Analysis of the Effectiveness of Special Economic Zones Operating in the Regions of Uzbekistan

This article presents an econometric assessment of the effectiveness of special economic zones operating in the regions of Uzbekistan during 2015–2025. The study examines the dynamics of industrial output, exports, investment and employment and estimates three empirical relationships: the production function, the export function and the labor-productivity function. Descriptive statistics, the Augmented Dickey–Fuller test, correlation analysis and ordinary least squares regression are applied. The results indicate that investment changes are the principal statistically significant driver of output growth, while output growth strongly explains export expansion. Capital intensity also has a significant positive effect on labor productivity. The findings confirm the strategic importance of special economic zones for industrialization and export development, but they also reveal the limitations of inference from a small annual sample. The article recommends strengthening data transparency, local supplier linkages, technological upgrading and performance-based evaluation of zone residents.