Exploring the United Nations' Human Development Index

2007 ◽  
Vol 101 (3) ◽  
pp. 214-224
Author(s):  
Kay B. Somers

The human development index (HDI) is an international index used for comparing human well-being across countries. The activities that follow introduce this index and provide a look at an important method for finding a summary measure of a not readily quantifiable concept. The computational details behind this index provide a way to explore mathematical concepts such as scaling, averages, linear relationships, and logarithms. Further investigations allow use of the index to explore some statistical ideas. Because the activities use real data, they provide another way for students to see the utility of mathematics. To understand the context of the activities, students will be asked to read and think about the input values that are needed to compute such an index.

2021 ◽  
pp. 001946622199862
Author(s):  
G G Sajith ◽  
K. Malathi

The tracking of gross domestic product (GDP) as a measure of well-being of the society or human-being has been debated by many researchers and economists (Elizabeth, 2007; Abhinav, 2014; Deb, 2015 ) There are many deficiencies in tracking GDP as the economic development indicator, as it does not capture the inequality or true development of Human-being. Noted economist Mehbub ul Haq’s human development project defined a composite matrix which captures the life expectancy, education and per capita indicators in one matrix. This was developed to track as a development indicator of human welfare. In the previous studies, the GDP or GDP per capita was regressed with the Human Development Index (HDI) composite index and indicated a direct correlation between the two variables. However, this article examines the contribution of the income component in the HDI index by recalculating the composite matrix. This article also qualitatively examines the ability of HDI index to measure the human development parameters. JEL Classification Codes: E01, I12, O1


2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 227
Author(s):  
Arniwita Arniwita ◽  
Deka Veronica ◽  
Ahmad Soleh

The Human Development Index (HDI) is an index to measure human achievement and is one of the indicators used in looking at people's well-being in a region. The higher the HDI value in a region, the better the level of welfare in the region. So often HDI is considered to have been able to represent the welfare level of the population, because in the HDI includes elements that include economic and noneconomic variables. Non-economic variables are measured from the level of public education and the degree of public health. While economic variables are measured from income levels indicating people's purchasing power, the three are related to each other. However, if you look at the conditions in Jambi Province, there is an interesting phenomenon where the development of the government does not or lack a real impact on the improvement of the Human Development Index (HDI), so it is necessary to do this research. The purpose of this study is to analyze the inequality, influence and relationship of the variables of the human development index which includes Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) per capita, the number of medical personnel, the number of basic health facilities, the number of poor people as well as the number of teachers in public elementary schools as dependent variables with the human development index (HDI) as dependent variables. The data analysis method used in this study is a qualitative and qualitative descriptive method of explanatory properties, using sekuder data in the period 2008-2017. The data analysis tool used in this study uses the usual Weighted Coefficient of Variation (CVw) method for the first problem, the subsequent regression of the data panel for the second problem and the person correlation for the third problem. The hypothesis test in this study shows that there is inequality in IPM-forming variables in Jambi Province, further influence and significant relationship between ipm-forming variable inequality and HDI in Jambi Province.


Author(s):  
K. Seeta Prabhu ◽  
Sandhya S. Iyer

This chapter explains in detail the notions of ‘functionings’ and ‘capabilities’. It discusses the multi-layered phenomena of capabilities in the form of as threshold, internal, external, and complex capabilities. It analyses how they provide valuable understanding about the conversion factors that are involved in the translation of resources to capabilities and capabilities into functionings. It critically evaluates the capabilities approach and emphasises the importance of the role of endowments and entitlements as factors influencing and contributing to human flourishing and well-being. The unique feature of the chapter is the presentation of an integrated analytical framework that traces the pathways to human development through equity, sustainability, empowerment, and productivity processes. In addition, the chapter discusses the Human Development Index (HDI) and the challenges relating to its computation.


Author(s):  
Josep Penuelas ◽  
Tamás Krisztin ◽  
Michael Obersteiner ◽  
Florian Huber ◽  
Hannes Winner ◽  
...  

Background: The quantity, quality, and type (e.g., animal and vegetable) of human food have been correlated with human health, although with some contradictory or neutral results. We aimed to shed light on this association by using the integrated data at country level. Methods: We correlated elemental (nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P)) compositions and stoichiometries (N:P ratios), molecular (proteins) and energetic traits (kilocalories) of food of animal (terrestrial or aquatic) and vegetable origin, and alcoholic beverages with cancer prevalence and mortality and life expectancy (LE) at birth at the country level. We used the official databases of United Nations (UN), Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), World Bank, World Health Organization (WHO), U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Health, and Eurobarometer, while also considering other possibly involved variables such as income, mean age, or human development index of each country. Results: The per capita intakes of N, P, protein, and total intake from terrestrial animals, and especially alcohol were significantly and positively associated with prevalence and mortality from total, colon, lung, breast, and prostate cancers. In contrast, high per capita intakes of vegetable N, P, N:P, protein, and total plant intake exhibited negative relationships with cancer prevalence and mortality. However, a high LE at birth, especially in underdeveloped countries was more strongly correlated with a higher intake of food, independent of its animal or vegetable origin, than with other variables, such as higher income or the human development index. Conclusions: Our analyses, thus, yielded four generally consistent conclusions. First, the excessive intake of terrestrial animal food, especially the levels of protein, N, and P, is associated with higher prevalence of cancer, whereas equivalent intake from vegetables is associated with lower prevalence. Second, no consistent relationship was found for food N:P ratio and cancer prevalence. Third, the consumption of alcoholic beverages correlates with prevalence and mortality by malignant neoplasms. Fourth, in underdeveloped countries, reducing famine has a greater positive impact on health and LE than a healthier diet.


Author(s):  
Partha Dasgupta

In this paper, I formalize the idea of sustainable development in terms of intergenerational well-being. I then sketch an argument that has recently been put forward formally to demonstrate that intergenerational well-being increases over time if and only if a comprehensive measure of wealth per capita increases. The measure of wealth includes not only manufactured capital, knowledge and human capital (education and health), but also natural capital (e.g. ecosystems). I show that a country's comprehensive wealth per capita can decline even while gross domestic product (GDP) per capita increases and the UN Human Development Index records an improvement. I then use some rough and ready data from the world's poorest countries and regions to show that during the period 1970–2000 wealth per capita declined in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, even though the Human Development Index (HDI) showed an improvement everywhere and GDP per capita increased in all places (except in sub-Saharan Africa, where there was a slight decline). I conclude that, as none of the development indicators currently in use is able to reveal whether development has been, or is expected to be, sustainable, national statistical offices and international organizations should now routinely estimate the (comprehensive) wealth of nations.


Author(s):  
Andriy Kuzyshyn

The article reveals the peculiarities in the formation of comfortable life features in the regions of Ukraine based on the analysis of the components and the human development index. In particular, it reveals the essenceof the human development concept as one that enables people to develop their potential, to live productively and creatively in tune with their needs and interests. Its goal is to empower each individual in the chosen environment – country, region or specific locality. Human development involves balancing the formation of human abilities to improve their conditions of life. However, the level of regional human development will depend on the potential of the designated area. Since 2012, Ukraine has updated the method of estimating regional Human Development Index by which we can calculate the regional human development index. It includes 33 indicators grouped into six blocks in accordance with the basic aspects of human development. These are reproduction, social position, comfortable life, well-being, worthy work, and education. These indicators were selected on the basis of suitability for the annual calculation of provision available to the State Statistics Service of Ukraine, reliability estimates at the regional level under the specific issues of human development in Ukraine, unambiguous interpretation of the impact on human development, lack of high correlation between individual performance and adequacy of static and dynamic variation. According to the ratings of Human Development Index in 2012, conducted by the State Statistics Service of Ukraine and the Institute of Demography and Social Studies of M.V. Puhta, regions that constantly show high indicators of human development index are Crimea, Kharkiv, Lviv, Transcarpathian and Poltava regions. The largest group consists of regions with the average index indicator of the human development (most regions of Ukraine). Finally, the third group consists of regions with the lowest human development index (Kirovograd, Donetsk, Sumy regions). The results of calculations of regional Human Development Index can serve as a basis for identifying key issues and priorities of each region.


2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 765
Author(s):  
Vanesa Jordá ◽  
Carmen Trueba ◽  
José María Sarabia

In this work we contribute to the study of well-being inequality conceived as a multidimensional process, analyzing inequality across countries in terms of the Human Development Index (HDI). To that end, we consider two alternative approaches based on the use of generalized entropy measures. Our results point out a reduction of inequality in the three dimensions considered by the HDI as well as in composite indicators of these components over the period 1980-2011. The decomposition of this type of inequality measures in two components, between-regions and within- regions, reveals that the fall of overall disparities is mainly driven by the decrease in inequality between regions.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
pp. 3995
Author(s):  
Umberto Lucia ◽  
Giulia Grisolia

Today, very complex economic relationships exist between finance, technology, social needs, and so forth, which represent the requirement of sustainability. Sustainable consumption of resources, production and energy policies are the keys for a sustainable development. Moreover, a growing request in bio-based industrial raw materials requires a reorganization of the chains of the energy and industrial sectors. This is based on new technological choices, with the need of sustainable measurements of their impacts on the environment, society and economy. In this way, social and economic requirements must be taken into account by the decision-makers. So, sustainable policies require new indicators. These indicators must link economics, technologies and social well-being, together. In this paper, an irreversible thermodynamic approach is developed in order to improve the Human Development Index, HDI, with the Thermodynamic Human Development Index, THDI, an indicator based on the thermodynamic optimisation approach, and linked to socio-economic and ecological evaluations. To do so, the entropy production rate is introduced into the HDI, in relation to the CO2 emission flows due to the anthropic activities. In this way, the HDI modified, named Thermodynamic Human Development Index THDI, results as an indicator that considers both the socio-economic needs, equity and the environmental conditions. Examples of the use of the indicator are presented. In particular, it is possible to highlight that, if environmental actions are introduced in order to reduce the CO2 emission, HDI remains constant, while THDI changes its value, pointing out its usefulness for decision makers to evaluate a priori the effectiveness of their decisions.


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