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Measuring Well-Being from Local Perspective: The Case of Lao PDR

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  • Thantavanh Manolom
  • Buapun Promphakping

Abstract

Well-being is a contentious concept, and related measurements are socially and culturally sensitive. This paper examines the concept of well-being from the perspective of Lao people. The conceptual framework of the study is based on a framework well-being is comprised of three modes; “having”, “thinking” and “doing”. The researcher engaged 15 key informants were in-depth interviewed and 35 representatives of households in focus group discussions to ascertain well-being indicators. It is argued that the Lao concept of well-being is entrapped in a dichotomous concept of subjective and objective well-being. This study proposes that well-being indicators of Lao PDR are comprised of 5 components, and 39 indicators; including family well-being (4 indicators), community unity well-being (9 indicators), health well-being (7 indicators), forest and environment well-being (9 indicators), and having enough for sustaining living well-being (10 indicators). Copyright Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2015

Suggested Citation

  • Thantavanh Manolom & Buapun Promphakping, 2015. "Measuring Well-Being from Local Perspective: The Case of Lao PDR," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 123(2), pages 391-409, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:soinre:v:123:y:2015:i:2:p:391-409
    DOI: 10.1007/s11205-014-0743-2
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Pattaraporn Weeranakin & Buapun Promphakping, 2018. "Local Meanings of Wellbeing and the Construction of Wellbeing Indicators," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 138(2), pages 689-703, July.
    2. Adebowale Akande & Modupe Adewuyi & Titilola Akande & Bolanle Adetoun, 2017. "If One Goes Up the Other Must Come Down: Examining Gender Differences and Understanding of Models of Learning Style: A Non-Western Perspective," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 131(2), pages 817-829, March.
    3. Joachim Merz & Normen Peters, 2019. "Parental Child Care Time, Income and Subjective Well-Being: A Multidimensional Polarization Approach for Germany," SOEPpapers on Multidisciplinary Panel Data Research 1021, DIW Berlin, The German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP).

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