Abstract
The study evaluates the progress made in the past decades on the measurement of socioeconomic performance. Both income and social indicators approaches are thoroughly surveyed and an additional contribution is made to the latter by undertaking a large-scale correlation study. The results of the correlation analysis indicate a high level of correspondence between per capita GNP and various composite social indices constructed by an aggregation procedure called the ‘Wroclaw Taxonomic Method’. On the determinants of socioeconomic progress, the study examines two well-known development strategies, equity and basic needs. Besides, it suggests few other policy instruments which might influence the level of socioeconomic development. Finally, some ‘new’ areas are identified for future research in this subject.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Adelman, I. and C. T. Morris: 1967, Society Politics and Economic Development: A Quantitative Approach (John Hopkins University Press Baltimore).
Adelman, I. and C. T. Morris: 1973, Economic Growth and Social Equity in Developing Countries (Stanford University Press, California).
Ahluwalia, M. S. and H. B. Chenery: 1974, ‘A conceptual framework for economic analysis’, in Chenery, H. et al. (ed.) (1974) Redistribution with Growth (Oxford University Press, Oxford), pp. 00–00.
Ahluwalia, M. S.: 1976, ‘Inequality poverty and development’, Journal of Development Economics, Vol. 3, pp. 307–42.
Baster, N. (ed.): 1972, Measuring Development (Frank Cass, London).
Bhagwati, J. N.: 1986, ‘Rethinking trade strategy’, in Lewis, J. P. and V. Kallab (ed.) Development Strategies Reconsidered (Overseas Development Council, Washington), pp. 91–104.
Bunge, M.: 1981, ‘Development indicators’, Social Indicators Research, Vol. 9, No. 3, pp. 369–85.
Bhalla, A. S. and A. G. Fluitman: 1985, ‘Science and technology indicators and socioeconomic development’, World Development, Vol. 13, No. 2, pp. 177–90.
Chenery, H. et al. (ed.): 1974, Redistribution with Growth (Oxford University Press, Oxford).
Chenery, H. and M. Syrquin: 1975, Patterns of Developments, 1950–70 (Oxford University Press, New York).
Corbo, V. and J. D. Melo: 1987, ‘Lessons from southern cone policy reforms’, The World Bank Research Observer, Vol. 2, No. 2, pp. 111–42.
Dornbusch, R. and Y. Park: 1987, ‘Korean growth policy’, Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, Vol. 2, pp. 389–453.
Drewnowski, J.: 1974, On Measuring and Planning the Quality of Life (Mouton, The Hague).
Fields, G. S.: 1980, Proverty, Inequality and Development (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge).
Goldstein, J. S.: 1985, ‘Basic human needs: The plateau curve’, World Development, Vol. 13, pp. 595–609.
Harbison, F. H. et al.: 1970, Quantitative Analysis of Modernization and Development (Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey).
Hicks, N.: 1979, ‘Growth vs basic needs: Is there a trade-off?’, World Development, Vol. 7, pp. 985–94.
Hicks, N. and P. Streeten: 1979, ‘Indicators of development: The search for a basic needs yardstick’, World Development, Vol. 7, pp. 567–80.
Horn, R.: 1980, ‘Social indicators: meaning, methods and applications’, International Journal of Social Economics, Vol. 7, No. 8, pp. 420–60.
Hsaio, F. S. T. et al.: 1983, ‘Some development indicators of Taiwan: A comparative study’, Journal of Economic Development, July, pp. 45–58.
ILO: 1977, The Basic Needs Approach to Development: Some Issues Regarding Concepts and Methodology (Geneva).
Isenman, P.: 1980a, ‘Inter-country comparison of ‘Real’ (PPP) incomes: Revised estimates and unresolved question’, World development, Vol. 8, pp. 61–72.
Isenman, P. (1980b), ‘Basic needs: The case of Sri Lanka’, World Development, Vol. 8, pp. 237–258.
Islam, I. and H. Khan: 1988, ‘Poverty and basic needs indicators: The Indonesian case’, The South East Asian Economic Review, Vol. 9, No. 2, pp. 75–96.
Islam, I. and C. Kirkpatrick: 1986, ‘Export-led development, labour-market conditions and the distribution of income: The case of Singapore’, Cambridge Journal of Economics, Vol. 10, pp. 113–27.
Kakwani, N.: 1980, Income Inequality and Poverty: Methods of Estimation and Policy Applications (Oxford University Press, London).
Khan, H.: 1979, International Comparisons of Socioeconomic Development: A Quantitative Approach, unpublished Ph.D. dissertation (University of New South Wales, Australia).
Khan, H.: 1986, Socioeconomic Development of ASEAN: An International Perspective (Chopmen, Singapore).
Khan, H. and J. Zerby: 1985, ‘Socio-economic progress in Australia and New Zealand during 1970–80: A comparative study’, Paper presented at 14th Conference of Economists, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, 13–17 May.
Khan, H. and J. Zerby: 1987, ‘Agricultural development, industrialisation, and basic needs fulfillment: A taxonomic approach’, in M. Bellamy and B. Greenshields (eds.), Agriculture and Economic Stability (Gower, London), pp. 254–62.
Khan, H. and J. Zerby: 1988, ‘Relationship between technological change and social development: A comparative study’, in C. Tisdell and P. Maitra, (eds.), Technological Change, Development and the Environment (Routledge, London), pp. 166–87.
Kravis, I. B.: 1970, ‘Trade as a handmaiden of growth — similarities between the 19th and 20th centuries’, Economic journal, Vol. 80, No. 320, pp. 850–72.
Kravis, I. B. et al.: 1978a, United Nations International Comparison Project: Phase II: International Comparisons of Real Product and Purchasing Power (Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore).
Kravis, I. B. et al.: 1978b, ‘Real GDP per capita for more than one hundred countries’, Economic Journal, June, pp. 215–242.
Lal, D. and S. Rajapatirana: 1987, ‘Foreign trade regimes and economic growth in developing countries’, The World Bank Research Observer, Vol. 2, No. 2, pp. 189–217.
Lall, S.: 1978, ‘Transnationals, domestic enterprises and industrial structure in host LDCs: A survey’, Oxford Economic Papers, July, pp. 217–248.
Larson, D. A. and W. T. Wilford: 1979, ‘The physical quality of life index: A useful social indicator?’,World Development, Vol. 7, pp. 581–84.
Leipziger, D. M. and M. A. Lewis: 1980, ‘Social indicators, growth and distribution’, World Development, Vol. 8, pp. 299–302.
Mansfield, E.: 1986, Industrial research and technological innovation (Norton, New York).
McGranahan, D. V.: 1972, ‘Development indicators and development models’, Journal of Development Studies, April, pp. 91–102.
McGranahan, D. V., et al.: 1972, Contents and Measurements of Socioeconomic Development, A UNRISD Staff Study (Praeger Publishers, New York).
McGranahan, D. V. et al.: 1985, Measurement and Analysis of Socioeconomic Development, UNRISD (Geneva).
Morawetz, D.: 1977, ‘Twenty five years of economic development’, Finance and Development, September.
Nordhaus, W. D. and J. Tobin: 1973, ‘Is growth obsolete?’ in Moss, M. (ed.) The Measurement of Economic and Social Performance (National Bureau of Economic Research, New York), pp. 509–32.
OECD: 1973, List of Social Concerns Common to Most OECD Countries, OECD Social Indicator Development Programme (Paris).
OECD: 1977, Socio-Economic Typologies (Paris).
ODC: 1977, The United States and World Development: Agenda for 1977 (Praeger, New York).
Othick, J.: 1983, ‘Development indicators and the historical study of human welfare: Towards a new perspective’, Journal of Economic History, March, pp. 63–70.
Pyatt, G. and J. I. Round: 1977, ‘Social accounting matrices for development planning’, Review of Income and Wealth, Series 23, No. 1, March 1977, pp. 339–64.
Ram, R.: 1982a, ‘International inequality in the basic needs indicators’, Journal of Development Economics, Vol. 10, pp. 113–17.
Ram, R.: 1982b, ‘Composite indices of physical quality of life basic needs fulfillment, and income: A ‘principal component’ representation’, Journal of Development Economics, Vol. 11, pp. 227–47.
Ram, R.: 1985, ‘The role of real income level and income distribution in fulfillment of basic needs’, World Development, Vol. 13, pp. 589–94.
Ruttan, V.: 1982, ‘Agricultural Research Policy (University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis).
Sahn, D. E.: 1987, ‘Changes in the living standards of the poor in Sri Lanka during a period of macroeconomic restructuring’, World Development, Vol. 15, No. 6, pp. 809–30.
Salter, W.: 1960, Productivity and Technical Changes (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge).
Seers, D.: 1972, ‘What are we trying to measure?’, Journal of Development Studies, Vol. 8, No. 3, pp. 21–36.
Sen, A. K.: 1981, ‘Public action and the quality of life in developing countries’, Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Vol. 43, No. 4, pp. 287–319.
Silber, J.: 1983, ‘ELL (The Equivalent Length of Life) or another attempt at measuring development’, World Development, Vol. 11, No. 1, pp. 21–9.
Stewart, F. and J. James: 1982, The Economics of New Technology in Developing Countries (Frances Printer, London).
Streeten, P. and S. J. Burki: 1978, ‘Basic Needs: Some Issues’, World Development, March, Vol. 6, pp. 411–21.
Streeten, P.: 1980, ‘Basic needs in the year 2000’, Pakistan Development Review, Summer, Vol. 19, pp. 129–41.
Streeten, P.: 1981, First Things First: Meeting Basic Needs in Developing Countries (Oxford University Press, London).
Teitel, S.: 1987, ‘Science and technology indicators, country size and economic development: An international comparison’, World Development, Vol. 15, No. 9, pp. 1225–235.
UN: 1975a, Developing Countries and Levels of Development, Economic and Social Council, Committee for Development Planning, 15 October (New York).
UN: 1975b, Towards a System of Social and Demographic Statistics, Studies in Methods, Series F, No. 18 (New York).
UNESCO: 1974, Social Indicators: Problems of Definition and Selection, Report No. 30 (Paris).
UNESCO: 1976, The Use of Socio-economic indicators in Development Planning, UNESCO Press, Paris.
UNRISD: 1978, 1979, Measurement and Analysis of Progress at the Local Level, Vols. I, II, III (Geneva).
Wheeler, D.: 1980, ‘Basic needs fulfillment and economic growth: A simultaneous model’, Journal of Development Economics, December, Vol. 7, pp. 435–51.
World Bank: 1987, Korea: Managing the Industrial Transition, Vols. 1 and II (Washington, DC).
Zerby, J. and H. Khan: 1979, ‘Selection and weighting of attributes in cluster analysis: An economic development example’, Department of Economics (Discussion Paper) (University of NewSouth Wales, Australia).
Zerby, J. and H. Khan: 1984, ‘A comparison of multivariate methods for indexing socioeconomic development’, Singapore Economic Review, Vol. 29, April, pp. 47–66.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Khan, H. Measurement and determinants of socioeconomic development: A critical conspectus. Soc Indic Res 24, 153–175 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00300358
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00300358