IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/qualqt/v59y2025i4d10.1007_s11135-025-02113-x.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Meaningful, useful and legitimate information in the use of index numbers for decision making

Author

Listed:
  • Fred Roberts

    (Rutgers University)

  • Helen Roberts

    (Montclair State University)

  • Alexis Tsoukiàs

    (LAMSADE-CNRS, PSL-Université Paris Dauphine)

Abstract

Often information relevant to a decision is summarized in an index number. This paper explores conditions under which conclusions using index numbers are relevant to the decision that needs to be made. Specifically, it explores the idea that a statement using scales of measurement is meaningful in the sense that its truth or falsity does not depend on an arbitrary choice of parameters; the concept that a conclusion using index numbers is useful for the specific decision that needs to be made; and the notion that such a conclusion is legitimate in the sense that it is collected and used in a way that satisfies cultural, historical, organizational, and legal constraints. While meaningfulness is a precisely defined concept, usefulness and legitimacy are not, and the paper explores properties of these concepts that lay the groundwork for making them more precise. Many examples involving two well-known and widely-used index numbers, body mass indices and air pollution indices, are used to explore the properties of and interrelationships among meaningfulness, usefulness, and legitimacy.

Suggested Citation

  • Fred Roberts & Helen Roberts & Alexis Tsoukiàs, 2025. "Meaningful, useful and legitimate information in the use of index numbers for decision making," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 59(4), pages 3211-3244, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:qualqt:v:59:y:2025:i:4:d:10.1007_s11135-025-02113-x
    DOI: 10.1007/s11135-025-02113-x
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11135-025-02113-x
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s11135-025-02113-x?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jan Gromadzki, 2019. "Measurement of attitudes towards homosexuality: testing measurement invariance across European countries," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 53(6), pages 2685-2694, November.
    2. Jana Uher, 2022. "Functions of units, scales and quantitative data: Fundamental differences in numerical traceability between sciences," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 56(4), pages 2519-2548, August.
    3. William Meredith, 1993. "Measurement invariance, factor analysis and factorial invariance," Psychometrika, Springer;The Psychometric Society, vol. 58(4), pages 525-543, December.
    4. Xiaoli Huang & Dagobert Soergel, 2013. "Relevance: An improved framework for explicating the notion," Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 64(1), pages 18-35, January.
    5. Stefan Behringer & Roman V. Belavkin, 2023. "The Value of Information and Circular Settings," Papers 2303.16126, arXiv.org, revised Nov 2023.
    6. Anonymous, 2010. "Letter to the Editors," International Labor and Working-Class History, Cambridge University Press, vol. 78(1), pages 181-183, October.
    7. Bert Scholtens & Lammertjan Dam, 2007. "Cultural Values and International Differences in Business Ethics," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 75(3), pages 273-284, October.
    8. Landry, Maurice & Malouin, Jean-Louis & Oral, Muhittin, 1983. "Model validation in operations research," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 14(3), pages 207-220, November.
    9. Vitolla, Filippo & Raimo, Nicola & Rubino, Michele & Garegnani, Giovanni Maria, 2021. "Do cultural differences impact ethical issues? Exploring the relationship between national culture and quality of code of ethics," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 27(1).
    10. Uher, Jana, 2022. "Functions of units, scales and quantitative data: fundamental differences in numerical traceability between sciences," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 111972, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    11. Michael C. Runge & Clark S. Rushing & James E. Lyons & Madeleine A. Rubenstein, 2023. "A Simplified Method for Value of Information Using Constructed Scales," Decision Analysis, INFORMS, vol. 20(3), pages 220-230, September.
    12. Xiaoli Huang & Dagobert Soergel, 2013. "Relevance: An improved framework for explicating the notion," Journal of the Association for Information Science & Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 64(1), pages 18-35, January.
    13. Meinard, Y. & Tsoukiàs, A., 2019. "On the rationality of decision aiding processes," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 273(3), pages 1074-1084.
    14. Haitham Tuffaha, 2021. "Value of Information Analysis: Are We There Yet?," PharmacoEconomics - Open, Springer, vol. 5(2), pages 139-141, June.
    15. N. V. R. Mahadev & Aleksandar Pekeč & Fred S. Roberts, 1998. "On the Meaningfulness of Optimal Solutions to Scheduling Problems: Can an Optimal Solution be Nonoptimal?," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 46(3-supplem), pages 120-134, June.
    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. Fred Roberts & Helen Roberts & Alexis Tsouki`as, 2025. "Meaningful, Useful and Legitimate Information in the Use of Index Numbers for Decision Making," Papers 2501.14810, arXiv.org.
    2. Nick Pilcher & Martin Cortazzi, 2024. "'Qualitative' and 'quantitative' methods and approaches across subject fields: implications for research values, assumptions, and practices," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 58(3), pages 2357-2387, June.
    3. Johan Oud & Manuel Voelkle, 2014. "Do missing values exist? Incomplete data handling in cross-national longitudinal studies by means of continuous time modeling," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 48(6), pages 3271-3288, November.
    4. Liat Ayalon, 2018. "Perceived Age Discrimination: A Precipitator or a Consequence of Depressive Symptoms?," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 73(5), pages 860-869.
    5. Takuma Kimura & Mizuki Nishikawa, 2018. "Ethical Leadership and Its Cultural and Institutional Context: An Empirical Study in Japan," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 151(3), pages 707-724, September.
    6. Ihsana Sabriani Borualogo & Ferran Casas, 2023. "Bullying Victimisation and Children’s Subjective Well-being: A Comparative Study in Seven Asian Countries," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 16(1), pages 1-27, February.
    7. Shelley H. Liu & Yitong Chen & Jordan R. Kuiper & Emily Ho & Jessie P. Buckley & Leah Feuerstahler, 2024. "Applying Latent Variable Models to Estimate Cumulative Exposure Burden to Chemical Mixtures and Identify Latent Exposure Subgroups: A Critical Review and Future Directions," Statistics in Biosciences, Springer;International Chinese Statistical Association, vol. 16(2), pages 482-502, July.
    8. Janina Isabel Steinert & Lucie Dale Cluver & G. J. Melendez-Torres & Sebastian Vollmer, 2018. "One Size Fits All? The Validity of a Composite Poverty Index Across Urban and Rural Households in South Africa," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 136(1), pages 51-72, February.
    9. Leah Epstein, 2023. "Parallel solutions for ordinal scheduling with a small number of machines," Journal of Combinatorial Optimization, Springer, vol. 46(1), pages 1-24, August.
    10. Stephanie Kelley, 2022. "Employee Perceptions of the Effective Adoption of AI Principles," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 178(4), pages 871-893, July.
    11. Paul MUKUCHA & Divaries Cosmas JARAVAZA & Forbes MAKUDZA, 2022. "Towards Gender-Based Market Segmentation: The Differential Influence of Gender on Dining Experiences in the University Cafeteria Industry," Management and Economics Review, Faculty of Management, Academy of Economic Studies, Bucharest, Romania, vol. 7(2), pages 182-200, June.
    12. Sandra M Leitner, 2024. "Working from home and mental well-being at different stages of the COVID-19 pandemic," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 19(11), pages 1-29, November.
    13. Amber Mosewich & Valerie Hadd & Peter Crocker & Bruno Zumbo, 2013. "Invariance Testing of the SF-36 Health Survey in Women Breast Cancer Survivors: Do Personal and Cancer-related Variables Influence the Meaning of Quality of Life Items?," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 110(2), pages 559-577, January.
    14. Yong He & Zhiyi Tan, 2002. "Ordinal On-Line Scheduling for Maximizing the Minimum Machine Completion Time," Journal of Combinatorial Optimization, Springer, vol. 6(2), pages 199-206, June.
    15. repec:plo:pone00:0012412 is not listed on IDEAS
    16. Hoben, Matthias & Kilmen, Sevilay & Keefe, Janice & O'Rourke, Hannah M. & Banerjee, Sube & Estabrooks, Carole A., 2025. "Measurement invariance and differential item functioning of a care staff proxy measure of nursing home resident dementia-specific quality of life (DEMQOL-CH): do care aides' first language, and care a," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 375(C).
    17. Stéfanie André, 2014. "Does Trust Mean the Same for Migrants and Natives? Testing Measurement Models of Political Trust with Multi-group Confirmatory Factor Analysis," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 115(3), pages 963-982, February.
    18. Kroh, Julia & Globocnik, Dietfried & Schultz, Carsten & Holdhof, Frederike & Salomo, Søren, 2024. "Micro-foundations of digital innovation capability – A mixed method approach to develop and validate a multi-dimensional measurement instrument," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 198(C).
    19. Lillian Y. Fok & Dinah M. Payne & Christy M. Corey, 2016. "Cultural Values, Utilitarian Orientation, and Ethical Decision Making: A Comparison of U.S. and Puerto Rican Professionals," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 134(2), pages 263-279, March.
    20. Francisco J. Conejo & Lawrence F. Cunningham & Clifford E. Young, 2020. "Revisiting the Brand Luxury Index: new empirical evidence and future directions," Journal of Brand Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 27(1), pages 108-122, January.
    21. Eldad Davidov & Stefan Thörner & Peter Schmidt & Stefanie Gosen & Carina Wolf, 2011. "Level and change of group-focused enmity in Germany: unconditional and conditional latent growth curve models with four panel waves," AStA Advances in Statistical Analysis, Springer;German Statistical Society, vol. 95(4), pages 481-500, December.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    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:spr:qualqt:v:59:y:2025:i:4:d:10.1007_s11135-025-02113-x. 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: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    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.