Publication
Title
Measuring multidimensional inequality in the OECD member countries with a distribution-sensitive Better Life Index
Author
Abstract
The Better Life Index was introduced by the OECD as a tool to chart the multidimensional well-being of its member countries. However, the Better Life Index relies only on aggregate country-level indicators, and hence is insensitive to how multidimensional well-being is distributed within countries. This paper discusses how a distribution-sensitive Better Life Index could be designed. A broad family of distribution-sensitive Better Life Indices is discussed and decomposed in interpretable building blocks. While a rich and comprehensive micro-level data set is necessary to implement the distribution-sensitive Better Life Index, no such data set is currently available for all OECD member countries. The paper constructs therefore a synthetic data set that relies on information about macro-level indicators and micro-level data from the Gallup World Poll. The implementation of the distribution-sensitive Better Life Index is illustrated with this synthetic data set. The illustration indicates that, when taking the distribution of well-being into account, Nordic countries are top-ranked whereas Greece, the Russian Federation and Turkey occupy the bottom positions. The results indicate considerable losses due to multidimensional inequality for OECD member countries. In addition, sizeable differences are found in the level and composition of multidimensional inequality.
Language
English
Source (journal)
Social indicators research: an international and interdisciplinary journal for quality-of-life measurement. - Dordrecht
Publication
Dordrecht : 2017
ISSN
0303-8300 [print]
1573-0921 [online]
DOI
10.1007/S11205-016-1289-2
Volume/pages
131 :3 (2017) , p. 1057-1086
ISI
000401565000009
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
Full text (open access)
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UAntwerpen
Faculty/Department
Research group
Publication type
Subject
Affiliation
Publications with a UAntwerp address
External links
Web of Science
Record
Identifier
Creation 15.03.2016
Last edited 09.10.2023
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