Desenrollando el desarrollo económico argentino: Una metodología multi-criterio para la toma de decisiones de políticas[Unravelling economic development in Argentina: A multi-criteria methodology for decision-making in public policy]

In the current context of complexity, multiple conflicts and inter-dependency, the main problem facing decision takers and, in particular, policy makers, is related to the formulation of multiple public policies that ought to be fulfilled at the same time while moving towards a more sustainable and equitable development. In order to meet multiple policy objectives, limited to the existing resources, a number of optimization methods or multi-criteria analysis have been developed and used (Munda, 2004). In the case of Argentina, the high degree of volatility observed in most of the macroeconomic variables thus affecting the business cycle, posit a particular challenge for policy maker to take decisions on the basis of frequently changing policy objectives. Based on primary data that have been reconciled and aggregated from micro to macro levels, we use a multi-criteria method (built on 13 different methodologies) to try and optimize the decision making process concerning –mostly- economic policies in Argentina. The preliminary results show that, at industry level, the service sector (along with the food processing and construction sector) in core regions of Buenos Aires, Santa Fe and Cordoba seem to be the most important ones to satisfy the policy objectives (e.g. inclusiveness, dynamism, stability, sovereignty, federalism, and sustainability) with the corresponding weights chosen by the policy-makers for the purpose of this paper.