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A Sensitivity Analysis Of Quality Of Life Indices Across Countries

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  • Rahman, Tauhidur
  • Mittelhammer, Ronald C.
  • Wandschneider, Philip R.

Abstract

This paper attempts to provide a comprehensive analysis of interrelationships among the determinants of the Quality of Life (QOL). We show that various measures of well-being are highly sensitive to domains of QOL that are considered in the construction of comparative indices, and how measurable inputs into the well-being indicators are aggregated and weighted to arrive at composite measures of QOL. We present a picture of conditions among the 43 countries of the world with respect to such interrelated domains of QOL as the relationship with family and friends, emotional well-being, health, work and productivity, material well-being, feeling part of one's community, personal safety, and the quality of environment. On the basis of Borda Rule and the principal components approach, we search for factor-indices that may function as QOL indices comparatively across countries. Such indices can be useful in making QOL comparisons and evaluations with reference to both time and place. Comparing and analyzing well-being conditions among countries in this way are aimed at facilitating the discovery of extant of problems with government policies impacting QOL.

Suggested Citation

  • Rahman, Tauhidur & Mittelhammer, Ronald C. & Wandschneider, Philip R., 2003. "A Sensitivity Analysis Of Quality Of Life Indices Across Countries," 2003 Annual meeting, July 27-30, Montreal, Canada 22045, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).
    • Handle: RePEc:ags:aaea03:22045
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.22045
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    2. Lessmann, Ortrud, 2012. "Applying the Capability Approach Empirically: An Overview with Special Attention to Labor," management revue. Socio-economic Studies, Rainer Hampp Verlag, vol. 23(2), pages 98-118.
    3. Hasan, Lubna, 2007. "On Measuring the Complexity of Urban Living," MPRA Paper 7413, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    4. Pattaraphongpan Chaiyamart & William Gartner, 2021. "Marginal rate of substitution of multidimensional well-being for affected residents of the dam, Pak Mun Dam," International Journal of Research in Business and Social Science (2147-4478), Center for the Strategic Studies in Business and Finance, vol. 10(3), pages 438-448, April.
    5. Pattaraphongpan Chaiyamart & William Gartner & Robert delMas, 2021. "Multidimensional well-being of residents affected by the Pak Mun Dam, Thailand," International Journal of Research in Business and Social Science (2147-4478), Center for the Strategic Studies in Business and Finance, vol. 10(2), pages 261-269, March.
    6. Andrew Sharpe, 2004. "Literature Review of Frameworks for Macro-indicators," CSLS Research Reports 2004-03, Centre for the Study of Living Standards.
    7. Leßmann, Ortrud, 2011. "Empirische Studien zum Capability Ansatz auf der Grundlage von Befragungen: Ein Überblick," UFZ Discussion Papers 4/2011, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), Division of Social Sciences (ÖKUS).
    8. Faith Martin, 2012. "Perceptions of Links Between Quality of Life Areas: Implications for Measurement and Practice," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 106(1), pages 95-107, March.
    9. Andrew Sharpe & Jeremy Smith, 2005. "Measuring the Impact of Research on Well-being: A Survey of Indicators of Well-being," CSLS Research Reports 2005-02, Centre for the Study of Living Standards.
    10. Valérie Berenger & Cuauhtémoc Calderón Villarreal & Franck Celestini, 2009. "Modelling the Distribution of Multidimensional Poverty Scores: Evidence from Mexico," Estudios Económicos, El Colegio de México, Centro de Estudios Económicos, vol. 24(1), pages 3-34.
    11. Stephanié Rossouw & Gail Pacheco, 2012. "Measuring Non-Economic Quality of Life on a Sub-National Level: A Case Study of New Zealand," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 13(3), pages 439-454, June.
    12. Jaya Krishnakumar & A. Nagar, 2008. "On Exact Statistical Properties of Multidimensional Indices Based on Principal Components, Factor Analysis, MIMIC and Structural Equation Models," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 86(3), pages 481-496, May.
    13. Pattaraphongpan Chaiyamart & William Gartner & Kristen Nelson, 2021. "Well-being capital and government’s intervention to dam’s affected residents: Pak Mun Dam, Thailand," International Journal of Research in Business and Social Science (2147-4478), Center for the Strategic Studies in Business and Finance, vol. 10(4), pages 288-301, June.
    14. Guillermo Cruces & Andres Ham & Martin Tetaz, 2008. "Quality of Life in Buenos Aires Neighborhoods: Hedonic Price Regressions and the Life Satisfaction Approach," Research Department Publications 3260, Inter-American Development Bank, Research Department.
    15. Stephanié Rossouw & Wim Naudé, 2008. "The Non-Economic Quality of Life on a Sub-National Level in South Africa," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 86(3), pages 433-452, May.
    16. AfDB AfDB, 2006. "Working Paper 83 - Are African Countries Richer Than They Are Developed? A Multidimensional Analysis of Well-Being," Working Paper Series 2217, African Development Bank.
    17. AfDB AfDB, 2006. "Working Paper 83 - Are African Countries Richer Than They Are Developed? A Multidimensional Analysis of Well-Being," Working Paper Series 2297, African Development Bank.

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