Due　to　the　existence　of　different　evaluation　perspectives,　target　setting　has　always　been　the　key　in　cross　efficiency　development　and　practice.　However,　ignoring　the　preference　of　decision　makers　in　the　process　of　target　setting　may　affect　the　rationality　of　target　setting,　and　even　may　make　this　method　unable　to　meet　the　needs　of　actual　production.　This　paper　innovatively　combines　the　best-worst　method　(BWM)　with　the　benevolence　cross　efficiency　(BCE)　model,　and　proposes　four　new　target　setting　approaches　for　individual　decision-making　unit　(DMU)　with　BWM,　global　optimization　with　BWM,　BWM　for　individual　DMU　and　BWM　for　global　optimization.　In　order　to　find　the　optimal　target　DMUs　in　the　range　of　production　possibility　set,　the　fifth　new　target　setting　method　is　proposed　for　global　optimization　of　target　setting　and　controlling.　On　this　basis,　the　improvement　direction　of　target　DMUs　with　different　methods　is　studied,　and　the　influence　of　different　cross　efficiency　approaches　on　target　setting　are　compared.　Finally,　the　effectiveness　and　practicability　of　those　approaches　are　illustrated　by　case　analysis　and　method　comparison.　©　2023　Elsevier　Ltd