Does uncertainty in single indicators affect the reliability of composite indexes? An application to the measurement of environmental performances of Italian regions
In recent decades, the measurement and evaluation of important social and natural phenomena has significantly evolved, with many traditional measurements based on single variables increasingly being replaced by multidimensional approaches. One key aspect of these approaches is the development of com...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2021-08-01
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| Series: | Ecological Indicators |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X21004052 |
| _version_ | 1828955434791206912 |
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| author | Vincenzo Mauro Caterina Giusti Stefano Marchetti Monica Pratesi |
| author_facet | Vincenzo Mauro Caterina Giusti Stefano Marchetti Monica Pratesi |
| author_sort | Vincenzo Mauro |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In recent decades, the measurement and evaluation of important social and natural phenomena has significantly evolved, with many traditional measurements based on single variables increasingly being replaced by multidimensional approaches. One key aspect of these approaches is the development of composite indexes, usually real-value functions of multiple achievements of a group of units. The achievements in each of the selected dimensions are generally synthesised through one or more variables, often referred to as indicators. When indicators are obtained through an estimation process, it is crucial to understand if and how their estimation error – for example, sampling error – affects the resulting composite index.This paper presents a methodology based on a parametric bootstrap technique that evaluates to what extent uncertainty in indicators affects the reliability of the aggregate composite index. The method is applied to four composite indexes measuring the environmental performances of Italian regions based on real population and survey data.To our knowledge, this is the first attempt to measure the impact of indicators’ sampling error on composite indexes. If adequately generalised, our methodology could be used in the presence of measurement errors, non-response issues, or other kinds of non-sampling errors. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-14T07:50:25Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ca84ceda1d7345619d1dbf7731769e7c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1470-160X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-14T07:50:25Z |
| publishDate | 2021-08-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecological Indicators |
| spelling | doaj.art-ca84ceda1d7345619d1dbf7731769e7c2022-12-21T23:10:43ZengElsevierEcological Indicators1470-160X2021-08-01127107740Does uncertainty in single indicators affect the reliability of composite indexes? An application to the measurement of environmental performances of Italian regionsVincenzo Mauro0Caterina Giusti1Stefano Marchetti2Monica Pratesi3Department of Political Science, Communication and International Relations, University of Macerata, Macerata, ItalyDepartment of Economics and Management, University of Pisa, Pisa, ItalyDepartment of Economics and Management, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy; Corresponding author at: Department of Economics and Management, University of Pisa, Via C. Ridolfi, 10, 56124 Pisa, PI, Italy.Department of Economics and Management, University of Pisa, Pisa, ItalyIn recent decades, the measurement and evaluation of important social and natural phenomena has significantly evolved, with many traditional measurements based on single variables increasingly being replaced by multidimensional approaches. One key aspect of these approaches is the development of composite indexes, usually real-value functions of multiple achievements of a group of units. The achievements in each of the selected dimensions are generally synthesised through one or more variables, often referred to as indicators. When indicators are obtained through an estimation process, it is crucial to understand if and how their estimation error – for example, sampling error – affects the resulting composite index.This paper presents a methodology based on a parametric bootstrap technique that evaluates to what extent uncertainty in indicators affects the reliability of the aggregate composite index. The method is applied to four composite indexes measuring the environmental performances of Italian regions based on real population and survey data.To our knowledge, this is the first attempt to measure the impact of indicators’ sampling error on composite indexes. If adequately generalised, our methodology could be used in the presence of measurement errors, non-response issues, or other kinds of non-sampling errors.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X2100405262-0862P1262P25 |
| spellingShingle | Vincenzo Mauro Caterina Giusti Stefano Marchetti Monica Pratesi Does uncertainty in single indicators affect the reliability of composite indexes? An application to the measurement of environmental performances of Italian regions Ecological Indicators 62-08 62P12 62P25 |
| title | Does uncertainty in single indicators affect the reliability of composite indexes? An application to the measurement of environmental performances of Italian regions |
| title_full | Does uncertainty in single indicators affect the reliability of composite indexes? An application to the measurement of environmental performances of Italian regions |
| title_fullStr | Does uncertainty in single indicators affect the reliability of composite indexes? An application to the measurement of environmental performances of Italian regions |
| title_full_unstemmed | Does uncertainty in single indicators affect the reliability of composite indexes? An application to the measurement of environmental performances of Italian regions |
| title_short | Does uncertainty in single indicators affect the reliability of composite indexes? An application to the measurement of environmental performances of Italian regions |
| title_sort | does uncertainty in single indicators affect the reliability of composite indexes an application to the measurement of environmental performances of italian regions |
| topic | 62-08 62P12 62P25 |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X21004052 |
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