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Benchmarking Sustainable Development: A Synthetic Meta-index Approach

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  • Laurens Cherchye
  • Timo Kuosmanen

Abstract

The need for monitoring countries' overall performance in sustainable development (SD) is widely recognized, but the methods for aggregating vast amounts of empirical data remain rather crude. This paper examines the so-called 'benefit of doubt' weighting method as a tool for identifying benchmarks without imposing strong normative judgment about SD priorities. The weighting method involves linear optimization techniques, and allows countries to emphasize and prioritize those SD aspects for which they perform relatively well.

Suggested Citation

  • Laurens Cherchye & Timo Kuosmanen, 2004. "Benchmarking Sustainable Development: A Synthetic Meta-index Approach," WIDER Working Paper Series RP2004-28, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    • Handle: RePEc:unu:wpaper:rp2004-28
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    File URL: https://www.wider.unu.edu/sites/default/files/rp2004-028.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Comparative economics; Index numbers (Economics); Mathematical optimization; Sustainable development;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O57 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Comparative Studies of Countries
    • C43 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods: Special Topics - - - Index Numbers and Aggregation
    • C61 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Mathematical Methods; Programming Models; Mathematical and Simulation Modeling - - - Optimization Techniques; Programming Models; Dynamic Analysis

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