IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/inq/inqwps/ecineq2011-219.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

A new framework of measuring inequality: Variable equivalence scales and group-specific well-being limits. Sensitivity findings for German personal income distribution 1995-2009

Author

Listed:
  • Jürgen Faik

    (University of Lueneburg)

Abstract

The paper examines sensitivity influences on the German personal income distribution in a time-series perspective as well as in a methodically broad manner. The author discusses the following issues: (1) For the first time, (reference) income-dependent, so-called variable equivalence scales are explicitly and extensively applied in a distributional analysis of German data which causes significant increases of income inequality compared with income-independent, constant equivalence scales. (2) Concerning different demarcations of income areas the pattern of income inequality in Germany 1995-2009 is not distinctively changed in the several variants considered. (3) For three alternative inequality indicators out of the class of Generalized Entropy indicators (mean logarithmic deviation, one of Theil’s measures of entropy, and normalized coefficient of variation), the patterns of income inequality over time are nearly the same. (4) Regarding current monthly household net income versus yearly household net income of the previous year, different patterns with respect to income inequality occur during the ob-served period of time. Especially in the first decade of the 21st century the corresponding pat-terns differ from each other. In a further step the new approach related to income distribution, which incorporates variable equivalence scales, is applied to socio-demographic stratification to exemplarily demonstrate the power of this new approach. All in all, the analyses of the paper refer to the necessity of a rigorous methodological foundation of distributional studies, especially concerning the selection of a set of (preferably variable) equivalence scales, the choice of the inequality indicator, and – not least – of the income variable.

Suggested Citation

  • Jürgen Faik, 2011. "A new framework of measuring inequality: Variable equivalence scales and group-specific well-being limits. Sensitivity findings for German personal income distribution 1995-2009," Working Papers 219, ECINEQ, Society for the Study of Economic Inequality.
    • Handle: RePEc:inq:inqwps:ecineq2011-219
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.ecineq.org/milano/WP/ECINEQ2011-219.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Amiel,Yoram & Cowell,Frank, 1999. "Thinking about Inequality," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521466967.
    2. Cowell, Frank & Mercader-Prats, Magda, 1999. "Equivalence scales and inequality," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 2190, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    3. Udo Ebert & Patrick Moyes, 2003. "Equivalence Scales Reconsidered," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 71(1), pages 319-343, January.
    4. Clark, Andrew E. & Oswald, Andrew J., 1996. "Satisfaction and comparison income," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 61(3), pages 359-381, September.
    5. Cowell, Frank A., 1980. "Generalized entropy and the measurement of distributional change," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 13(1), pages 147-159, January.
    6. John Creedy & Catherine Sleeman, 2004. "Adult Equivalence Scales, Inequality and Poverty in New Zealand," Treasury Working Paper Series 04/21, New Zealand Treasury.
    7. Bradbury, Bruce, 1994. "Measuring the Cost of Children," Australian Economic Papers, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(62), pages 120-138, June.
    8. Olga Cantó & Coral del Río & Carlos Gradín, "undated". "Poverty Statics And Dynamics: Does The Accounting Period Matter?," Working Papers 22-02 Classification-JEL , Instituto de Estudios Fiscales.
    9. Jürgen Faik, 2011. "A Behaviouristic Approach for Measuring Poverty: The Decomposition Approach ; Empirical Illustrations for Germany 1995-2009," SOEPpapers on Multidisciplinary Panel Data Research 383, DIW Berlin, The German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP).
    10. Jürgen Faik, 2011. "Der Zerlegungs-Ansatz – ein alternativer Vorschlag zur Messung von Armut," AStA Wirtschafts- und Sozialstatistisches Archiv, Springer;Deutsche Statistische Gesellschaft - German Statistical Society, vol. 4(4), pages 293-315, January.
    11. Aaberge, Rolf & Melby, Ingrid, 1998. "The Sensitivity of Income Inequality to Choice of Equivalence Scales," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 44(4), pages 565-569, December.
    12. Donaldson, David & Pendakur, Krishna, 2004. "Equivalent-expenditure functions and expenditure-dependent equivalence scales," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 88(1-2), pages 175-208, January.
    13. Coulter, Fiona A E & Cowell, Frank A & Jenkins, Stephen P, 1992. "Equivalence Scale Relativities and the Extent of Inequality and Poverty," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 102(414), pages 1067-1082, September.
    14. Buhmann, Brigitte, et al, 1988. "Equivalence Scales, Well-Being, Inequality, and Poverty: Sensitivity Estimates across Ten Countries Using the Luxembourg Income Study (LIS) Database," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 34(2), pages 115-142, June.
    15. Rolf Aaberge & Ingrid Melby, 1998. "The Sensitivity Of Income Inequality To Choice Of Equivalence Scales," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 44(4), pages 565-569, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Pogorelskiy, Kirill & Seidl, Christian & Traub, Stefan, 2010. "Tax progression: International and intertemporal comparison using LIS data," Economics Working Papers 2010-08, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Department of Economics.
    2. Christian Dudel & Jan Marvin Garbuszus & Notburga Ott & Martin Werding, 2015. "Income Dependent Equivalence Scales, Inequality, and Poverty," CESifo Working Paper Series 5568, CESifo.
    3. Schröder, Carsten & Bönke, Timm, 2012. "Country inequality rankings and conversion schemes," Economics - The Open-Access, Open-Assessment E-Journal (2007-2020), Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel), vol. 6, pages 1-43.
    4. Timm B nke & Carsten Schr der, 2007. "Inequality and welfare estimates using two alternative weighting schemes," LIS Working papers 463, LIS Cross-National Data Center in Luxembourg.
    5. Bönke, Timm & Schröder, Carsten, 2007. "Equivalence scales reconsidered: an empirical investigation," Economics Working Papers 2007-31, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Department of Economics.
    6. Udo Ebert & Patrick Moyes, 2009. "Household decisions and equivalence scales," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 22(4), pages 1039-1062, October.
    7. Udo Ebert & Patrick Moyes, 2011. "Inequality of Well-Being and Isoelastic Equivalence Scales," Working Papers V-333-11, University of Oldenburg, Department of Economics, revised Feb 2011.
    8. repec:zbw:hohpro:333 is not listed on IDEAS
    9. Lahoti Rahul & Jayadev Arjun & Reddy Sanjay, 2016. "The Global Consumption and Income Project (GCIP): An Overview," Journal of Globalization and Development, De Gruyter, vol. 7(1), pages 61-108, June.
    10. Hillringhaus, Tilman & Peichl, Andreas, 2010. "Die Messung von Armut unter Berücksichtigung regional divergierender Lebenshaltungskosten und öffentlicher Leistungen," IZA Discussion Papers 5344, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    11. Mysikova, Martina & Zelinsky, Tomas, 2019. "On the Measurement of the Income Poverty Rate: the Equivalence Scale across Europe," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 99(4), pages 383-397.
    12. Christos Koulovatianos & Carsten Schröder, 2023. "Income-dependent equivalence scales and choice theory: implications for poverty measurement," Chapters, in: Jacques Silber (ed.), Research Handbook on Measuring Poverty and Deprivation, chapter 4, pages 39-49, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    13. Heinz Welsch & Udo Ebert, 2004. "The Social Evaluation of Income Distribution: An Assessment Based on Happiness Surveys," LIS Working papers 381, LIS Cross-National Data Center in Luxembourg.
    14. Udo Ebert & Patrick Moyes, 2017. "Inequality and isoelastic equivalence scales: restrictions and implications," Social Choice and Welfare, Springer;The Society for Social Choice and Welfare, vol. 48(2), pages 295-326, February.
    15. repec:old:wpaper:333 is not listed on IDEAS
    16. John Creedy & Cath Sleeman, 2005. "Adult equivalence scales, inequality and poverty," New Zealand Economic Papers, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 39(1), pages 51-81.
    17. repec:zbw:hohpro:331 is not listed on IDEAS
    18. Udo Ebert, 2010. "Dominance criteria for welfare comparisons: using equivalent income to describe differences in needs," Theory and Decision, Springer, vol. 69(1), pages 55-67, July.
    19. Cowell, Frank & Litchfield, Julie & Mercader-Prats, Magda, 1999. "Income inequality comparisons with dirty data: the UK and Spain during the 1980s," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 2240, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    20. Boyd H. Hunter & Steven Kennedy & Daniel Smith, 2003. "Household Composition, Equivalence Scales and the Reliability of Income Distributions: Some Evidence for Indigenous and Other Australians," The Economic Record, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 79(244), pages 70-83, March.
    21. Melanie Borah & Carina Keldenich & Andreas Knabe, 2019. "Reference Income Effects in the Determination of Equivalence Scales Using Income Satisfaction Data," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 65(4), pages 736-770, December.
    22. Udo Ebert, 2011. "The redistribution of income when needs differ," Working Papers V-331-11, University of Oldenburg, Department of Economics, revised Feb 2011.
    23. repec:old:wpaper:331 is not listed on IDEAS
    24. John Creedy & Rosanna Scutella, 2004. "The Role of the Unit of Analysis in Tax Policy Return Evaluations of Inequality and Social Welfare," Australian Journal of Labour Economics (AJLE), Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre (BCEC), Curtin Business School, vol. 7(1), pages 89-108, March.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Personal income distribution; equivalence scales; inequality;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D30 - Microeconomics - - Distribution - - - General
    • D31 - Microeconomics - - Distribution - - - Personal Income and Wealth Distribution
    • D60 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - General

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:inq:inqwps:ecineq2011-219. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Maria Ana Lugo (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/ecineea.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.