Advancing Human Development Assessment in Chinese Cities: A Novel Data Envelopment Analysis-Based Benefit of the Doubt Approach

Acknowledging the inadequacies of conventional metrics like the human development index in measuring human development, this study proposes a novel comprehensive framework that leverages a data envelopment analysis-based benefit of the doubt model to evaluate the performance of human development system presented in this study. To our knowledge, such an endeavor is very few in the extant literature. An empirical analysis of Chinese cities spanning the period of 2011–2019 provides novel insights into human development practices, unveiling crucial performance and their characteristics in terms of dynamics, spatial distribution, and convergence, which are pivotal for comprehensive policymaking. The primary findings firstly reveal an upward trajectory in human development and health. Conversely, education exhibits a conspicuous downward trend. Income initially declines, yet subsequently rises, culminating in an overall upward pattern. Secondly, imbalances across dimensions within cities suggest that strategic improvements in one area could significantly enhance overall human development outcomes. Thirdly, there exists a significant positive spatial dependence and clustering among cities. Finally, a trend towards convergence in performance among cities indicates potential improvement and equilibration in actual practices. Our innovative approach provides fresh perspectives on human development, emphasizing the need for integrated policies for sustainable growth in China’s cities.