Working paper
Settings weights in multidimensional indices of well-being and deprivation
- Abstract:
-
Multidimensional indices of well-being and deprivation have become increasingly popular, both in the theoretical and in the policy-oriented literature. By now, there is a wide range of methods to construct multidimensional well-being indices, differing in the way they transform, aggregate and weight the relevant dimensions. We present a unifying framework that allows us to compare the different approaches and to analyze the specific role of the dimension weights in each of them. Through interaction with choices about the transformation and aggregation of the different attributes, the weights play a crucial role in determining the trade-offs between the dimensions. Setting weights thus reflects important value judgements about the exact notion of well-being. We survey six methods to set weights usually employed in the literature. Three principles guides our assessments: first, weights should be made explicit and clear so that they can be subject to public scrutiny; second, weights should be set taking into consideration their role determining the trade-offs between dimensions; finally, weights should respect people’s preferences about these dimensions.
- Publication status:
- Published
- Peer review status:
- Reviewed (other)
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- Files:
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(Preview, Version of record, pdf, 431.6KB, Terms of use)
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Authors
- Publisher:
- Oxford Poverty & Human Development Initiative (OPHI)
- Series:
- OPHI working paper
- Publication date:
- 2008-01-01
- Edition:
- Publisher's version
- ISSN:
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2040-8188
- Paper number:
- 18
- ISBN:
- 9781907194078
- Language:
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English
- Keywords:
- UUID:
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uuid:11bde348-9144-49e9-8c46-d09c3e10700d
- Local pid:
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ora:9406
- Deposit date:
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2014-11-27
- ARK identifier:
Terms of use
- Copyright holder:
- Oxford Poverty & Human Development Initiative
- Copyright date:
- 2008
- Notes:
- Copyright © Oxford Poverty & Human Development Initiative 2007. This publication is copyright, however it may be reproduced without fee for teaching or non-profit purposes, but not for resale. Formal permission is required for all such uses, and will normally be granted immediately. For copying in any other circumstances, or for re-use in other publications, or for translation or adaptation, prior written permission must be obtained from OPHI and may be subject to a fee.
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