TY - JOUR
T1 - Setting weights for aggregate indices
T2 - An application to the commitment to development index and human development index
AU - Chowdhury, Shyamal
AU - Squire, Lyn
PY - 2006/7
Y1 - 2006/7
N2 - Aggregate indices like UNDP's Human Development Index (HDI) or the Centre for Global Development and Foreign Policy's Commitment to Development Index (CDI) are subject to multiple criticisms. This paper addresses concerns linked to the equal weights used in the HDI and the CDI and evaluates alternative weighting schemes. It relies on an opinion survey conducted electronically among researchers from 60 countries to assess whether or not professional judgment affects the use of equal weights. Results of the opinion survey point to a surprising result for the HDI: despite widespread criticism of equal weights, a simple scheme based on equal weights is not only convenient but also consistent with the views of experts. For some components of the CDI, however, weights derived from the survey do differ from equal weights. Nevertheless, the weights emerging from the survey are not sufficiently different from equal weights to significantly alter country rankings.
AB - Aggregate indices like UNDP's Human Development Index (HDI) or the Centre for Global Development and Foreign Policy's Commitment to Development Index (CDI) are subject to multiple criticisms. This paper addresses concerns linked to the equal weights used in the HDI and the CDI and evaluates alternative weighting schemes. It relies on an opinion survey conducted electronically among researchers from 60 countries to assess whether or not professional judgment affects the use of equal weights. Results of the opinion survey point to a surprising result for the HDI: despite widespread criticism of equal weights, a simple scheme based on equal weights is not only convenient but also consistent with the views of experts. For some components of the CDI, however, weights derived from the survey do differ from equal weights. Nevertheless, the weights emerging from the survey are not sufficiently different from equal weights to significantly alter country rankings.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=33746524347&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/00220380600741904
DO - 10.1080/00220380600741904
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:33746524347
SN - 0022-0388
VL - 42
SP - 761
EP - 771
JO - Journal of Development Studies
JF - Journal of Development Studies
IS - 5
ER -