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A statistical approach to identifying poorly performing countries

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  • Edward Anderson
  • Oliver Morrissey

Abstract

This paper asks whether it is possible to identify, using purely statistical criteria on widely available quantitative data, a set of developing countries that can be classified as poor performers. We restrict attention to two performance indicators, economic growth and infant mortality, over two periods 1980-90 and 1990-2000, and use four different statistical criteria to identify poor performance. The main finding is that very few countries consistently appear as poor performers: those that perform poorly on one indicator, or in one period, typically do not perform poorly on/in the other. A similar result is obtained in the context of identifying, on statistical grounds, good performers. The research cautions against labelling countries as poor performers without careful qualification.

Suggested Citation

  • Edward Anderson & Oliver Morrissey, 2006. "A statistical approach to identifying poorly performing countries," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 42(3), pages 469-489.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:jdevst:v:42:y:2006:i:3:p:469-489
    DOI: 10.1080/00220380600576375
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    1. Jan Willem Gunning & Paul Collier, 1999. "Explaining African Economic Performance," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 37(1), pages 64-111, March.
    2. William Easterly & Ross Levine, 1997. "Africa's Growth Tragedy: Policies and Ethnic Divisions," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 112(4), pages 1203-1250.
    3. Dollar, David & Kraay, Aart, 2002. "Growth Is Good for the Poor," Journal of Economic Growth, Springer, vol. 7(3), pages 195-225, September.
    4. World Bank, 2002. "World Development Indicators 2002," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 13921, December.
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    Cited by:

    1. Matt Andrews & Roger Hay & Jerrett Myers, 2010. "Governance Indicators Can Make Sense: Under-five Mortality Rates are an Example," CID Working Papers 207, Center for International Development at Harvard University.
    2. Moore, Winston & Iyare, Osaretin, 2007. "A Simple Approach for Identifying Underperforming Schools," MPRA Paper 21471, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    3. Maria Lo Bue & Stephan Klasen, 2013. "Identifying Synergies and Complementarities Between MDGs: Results from Cluster Analysis," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 113(2), pages 647-670, September.
    4. Andrews, Matthew R. & Hay, Roger & Myers, Jerrett, 2010. "Governance Indicators Can Make Sense: Under-five Mortality Rates are an Example," Scholarly Articles 4448994, Harvard Kennedy School of Government.
    5. Matt Andrews & Roger Hay & Jerrett Myers, 2010. "Can Governance Indicators Make Sense? Towards a New Approach to Sector-Specific Measures of Governance," Oxford Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 38(4), pages 391-410.

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