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How's Life in Your Region? Measuring Regional Material Living Conditions, Quality of Life and Subjective Well-Being in OECD Countries Using a Robust, Conditional Benefit-of-the-Doubt Model

Author

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  • Eni Dardha

    (Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KULeuven))

  • Nicky Rogge

    (Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KULeuven))

Abstract

This paper measures and analyses well-being in the 349 regions in OECD countries. It is argued that the multidimensional nature of well-being and the disparate policy priorities of nations/regions calls for a reconciliatory performance evaluation framework, for which this paper advocates the use of Benefit-of-the-Doubt (BoD) weighting. In particular, using the BoD-model, three multidimensional measures of regional well-being are computed: a material condition measure, a quality of life index and a subjective life satisfaction measure. To account for the presence of certain exogenous conditions in the regional policy environments, the conditional robust order-m version of the BoD-model is applied. Results show considerable between- and within-country disparity in regional performances across the three domains of well-being. Countries such as Australia, Canada, Norway and Iceland show consistently high levels of regional well-being. Consistently low performance levels are observed for Chile, Turkey and Poland.

Suggested Citation

  • Eni Dardha & Nicky Rogge, 2020. "How's Life in Your Region? Measuring Regional Material Living Conditions, Quality of Life and Subjective Well-Being in OECD Countries Using a Robust, Conditional Benefit-of-the-Doubt Model," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 151(3), pages 1015-1073, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:soinre:v:151:y:2020:i:3:d:10.1007_s11205-020-02411-x
    DOI: 10.1007/s11205-020-02411-x
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