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A distributional approach to comparing vulnerability, applied to rural provinces in Thailand and Vietnam

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  • Hardeweg, Bernd
  • Wagener, Andreas
  • Waibel, Hermann

Abstract

Vulnerability to poverty is an important social indicator of well-being. Yet, comparisons of vulnerability over time or space lack robustness as long as they are based on single measures or use specific poverty lines. We demonstrate that a distributional analysis, based on stochastic dominance orders, can help. Using data from six rural provinces of Thailand and Vietnam, we establish cumulative distribution functions for income and consumption at the provincial level and show how they can provide ethically robust vulnerability comparisons.

Suggested Citation

  • Hardeweg, Bernd & Wagener, Andreas & Waibel, Hermann, 2013. "A distributional approach to comparing vulnerability, applied to rural provinces in Thailand and Vietnam," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 25(C), pages 53-65.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:asieco:v:25:y:2013:i:c:p:53-65
    DOI: 10.1016/j.asieco.2013.02.004
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    2. Hübler, Michael, 2016. "Does Migration Support Technology Diffusion in Developing Countries?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 148-162.
    3. Muhammad Masood Azeem & Amin W. Mugera & Steven Schilizzi & Kadambot H. M. Siddique, 2017. "An Assessment of Vulnerability to Poverty in Punjab, Pakistan: Subjective Choices of Poverty Indicators," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 134(1), pages 117-152, October.
    4. Tomoki Fujii, 2016. "Concepts and measurement of vulnerability to poverty and other issues: a review of literature," Chapters, in: Jacques Silber & Guanghua Wan (ed.), The Asian ‘Poverty Miracle’, chapter 3, pages 53-83, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    5. Hübler, Michael, 2015. "Labor mobility and technology diffusion: A new concept and its application to rural Southeast Asia," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 39(C), pages 137-151.
    6. Oconnor, Christopher, 2023. "Robust estimates of vulnerability to poverty using quantile models," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 123(C).
    7. Thang T. Vo, 2018. "Social capital and household vulnerability: New evidence from rural Vienam," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2018-167, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    8. Satya R. Chakravarty & Nachiketa Chattopadhyay & Jacques Silber & Guanghua Wan, 2016. "Measuring the impact of vulnerability on the number of poor: a new methodology with empirical illustrations," Chapters, in: Jacques Silber & Guanghua Wan (ed.), The Asian ‘Poverty Miracle’, chapter 4, pages 84-117, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    9. Buehler, Dorothee & Cunningham, Wendy, 2018. "Shocks, vulnerability and income generating capacity of rural households: Evidence from Southeast Asia," TVSEP Working Papers wp-010, Leibniz Universitaet Hannover, Institute for Environmental Economics and World Trade, Project TVSEP.
    10. Thang Vo, 2018. "Social capital and household vulnerability: New evidence from rural Vietnam," WIDER Working Paper Series 167, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    11. Vo, Thang T., 2018. "Household vulnerability as expected poverty in Vietnam," World Development Perspectives, Elsevier, vol. 10, pages 1-14.

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • I32 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Measurement and Analysis of Poverty
    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration

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