OPHI Research in Progress
OPHI Research in Progress (RP) papers are preliminary documents posted online to stimulate discussion and critical comment. The series number and letter identify each version (i.e. paper RP1a after revision will be posted as RP1b) for citation. They are available to download here. The online Research in Progress are supported by a hard copy print-on-demand service upon request.
Chronic Multidimensional Poverty or Multidimensional Chronic Deprivation. Mauricio Apablaza and Gaston Yalonetzky (OPHI-RP-34apdf.pdf ). In the wake of the renewed interest in multidimensional poverty measurement, a natural question arising is how and whether indices of multidimensional poverty can be adapted to produce measures that quantify both the joint incidence of multiple deprivations and their degree of persistence, i.e. their chronicity. In this paper we seek to build one bridge between these two literatures (on multidimensionality and on poverty dynamics) by proposing indices that are sensitive, simultaneously, to: 1) the number of poverty dimensions in which people are deprived; and 2) the duration of their poverty experience. We propose two families of measures: one that captures multidimensional chronic deprivations (i.e. the joint existence of several dimension-specific chronic poverty experiences), and one that quantifies chronic multidimensional poverty (i.e. the persistence over several periods of contemporaneous multiple deprivations).
Poverty as lack of autonomy: Bridging the absolute/relative divide?. Sebastian Silva Leander (OPHI-RP-33a.pdf ). In this paper, we present a definition of poverty centred on the notion of autonomy, understood as self-rule, and articulated around the various rights and freedoms required for the existence and exercise of autonomy. This definition, we argue, can accommodate both the relative concept of deprivation proposed by Townsend and the absolute concept proposed by Sen, and thus help to provide a unified account of poverty that applies across low, middle and high income countries.
Sub-national Disparities and Inter-temporal Evolution of Multidimensional Poverty across Developing Countries. Sabina Alkire, José Manuel Roche and Suman Seth (OPHI-RP-32a-2011.pdf 2011). In 2010, the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI) in collaboration with the United National Development Programme (UNDP) introduced a new multidimensional measure of acute poverty for developing countries, referred to as the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) (Alkire and Santos, 2010). This paper focuses on the new analyses of sub-national decompositions and changes over time for 1.4 billion of the 1.65 billion MPI poor people identified by the MPI in 2011. It analyses the incidence, intensity and composition of multidimensional poverty at sub-national levels for 66 developing countries, and presents poverty estimates for 683 sub-national regions.
Training Material for Producing the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI). Sabina Alkire and Maria Emma Santos (OPHI-RP-31a.pdf.pdf 2011). This paper discusses the construction and analysis of the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI). It explains how the international MPI, which compares the situation of countries with respect to acute poverty, is calculated using globally comparable data. And it also explains how the MPI can be adapted to better suit national needs and realities.
Training Material for Producing the Inequality-adjusted Human Development Index (IHDI). Sabina Alkire, Suman Seth, Gaston Yalonetzky and Diego Zavaleta (OPHI-RP-30a.pdf-2011.pdf 2011). This paper discusses the construction and analysis of the Inequality-adjusted Human Development Index (IHDI). The IHDI adjusts the Human Development Index (HDI) to account for the inequality of distribution in the dimensions of the HDI (long and healthy life, knowledge and a decent standard of living). The global IHDI was first presented in the 2010 Human Development Report (HDR), using the method described here.
Training Material for Producing the Human Development Index (HDI). (OPHI-RP-29a.pdf-2011.pdf 2011). This paper discusses the construction and analysis of the Human Development Index (HDI). Since 1990 the HDI has had three dimensions: a long and healthy life, knowledge, and a decent standard of living. The indicators used to inform each dimension have, however, changed over time—most recently in the 2010 HDR. The latest method along with changes over time are all explained here.
Training Material for Producing National Human Development Reports-The Gender Inequality Index (GII). Suman Seth (OPHI-RP-28a.pdf-2011.pdf 2011). This paper discusses the construction and analysis of the Gender Inequality Index (GII) for producing National Human Development Reports. The GII compares the situation of women and men between countries in the dimensions of labour market participation, empowerment, and reproductive health. The global GII was first presented in the Human Development Report (HDR) 2010, using the method described here.
On the Possibility of Measuring Freedom: a Kantian Perspective. Sebastian Silva-Leander (OPHI-RP-27a.pdf 2011). This paper looks at the methodological issues surrounding the operationalisation of the opportunity aspect of freedom in the capability approach. It proposes an operationalisation strategy based on Kant's concept of autonomy freedom in order to overcome this difficulty.
Revealed Meta-Preferences: Axiomatic Foundations of Normative Assessments in the Capability Approach. Sebastian Silva-Leander (OPHI-RP-26b.pdf 2011). The paper looks at the axiomatic foundations of normative assessments in the capability approach. In particular it reviews the validity of the axiom of revealed preferences in view of A.K. Sen's critique and proposes an alternative formulation and associated ranking rules.
A note on the standard errors of the members of the Alkire Foster family and its components. Gaston Yalonetzky (OPHI-RP-25a.pdf 2011). This draft paper explores some of the standard errors of members of the Alkire Foster family of measures and their components.
A Sensitivity Assessment of Multidimensional Poverty to Various Sets of Missing Dimensions’ Indicators: The Chilean Case. Carlos De Los Rios and Jessica De Los Rios (OPHI-RP-24a.pdf 2010). This draft paper examines the sensitivity of multidimensional poverty in Chile to various sets of missing dimensions, including quality of employment, empowerment or agency, physical safety, and the ability to go about without shame.
Multidimensional Poverty and its Discontents. Sabina Alkire (OPHI-RP-23a.pdf 2010). This paper identifies a set of research questions and debates which relate to a general approach to multidimensional poverty measurement, or to one particular class of measures (Alkire & Foster), or to one application of one of these measures, the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) 2010.
Is the Multidimensional Poverty Index robust to different weights?. Sabina Alkire, Maria Emma Santos, Suman Seth and Gaston Yalonetzky (OPHI-RP-22a.pdf 2010). This paper presents the results of robustness tests, which show that the Multidimensional Poverty Index, developed by OPHI for the UNDP Human Development Report, is robust to a range of different weights.
An Axiomatic Approach to Identification and Measurement of Multidimensional Poverty. Sabina Alkire and James E. Foster (OPHI-RP-21a.pdf 2010). A memo written by Sabina Alkire and James Foster to the National Council for the Evaluation of Social Development Policy (CONEVAL) in Mexico, demonstrating how CONEVAL's objectives for a multidimensional poverty index, together with their conception of social dimensions as human rights, shape and justify its weights and identification step.
Multidimensional Targeting: Identifying Beneficiaries of Conditional Cash Transfer Programs. Viviane Azevedo and Marcos Robles (OPHI-RP-20a.pdf 2010). This paper applies the Alkire Foster method for multidimensional measurement as a targeting mechanism for conditional cash transfers (CCTs), and finds that it significantly improves selection of households with children who are most deprived in dimensions relevant to CCTs.
The Multidimensionality of Child Poverty: an Empirical Investigation on Children of Afghanistan. Mario Biggeri, Jean-Francois Trani and Vincenzo Mauro (OPHI-RP-19a.pdf 2010). This paper examines multidimensional poverty among Afghan children by applying Alkire and Foster’s (2007) methodology for multidimensional poverty measurement to survey data collected by Handicap International.
Capability and Group Inequalities: Revealing the Latent Structure. José Manuel Roche (OPHI-RP18a.pdf 2010). This paper shows how the sociological academic tradition in social stratification can complement the capability approach theoretically and methodologically in order to enhance the study of group inequalities.
Quality of Employment and Job Satisfaction: Evidence from Chile. Lea Cassar (OPHI-RP-17a.pdf 2010). This paper investigates the determinants of job satisfaction in a developing country, Chile, using OPHI’s national dataset on missing dimensions of poverty data.
A Comparison Between the Pearson-based Dissimilarity Index and the Multiple-Group Overlap Index. Gaston Yalonetzky (OPHI-RP-16a.pdf 2010). This paper proposes a simple extension of the overlap index to measure between-group inequality and compares it to an index based on Pearson's goodness-of-fit statistic.
Conceptual Overview of Human Development: Definitions, Critiques, and Related Concepts. Sabina Alkire (OPHI-RP-15a.pdf 2009). A draft background paper for the 2010 Human Development Report.
Measuring group disadvantage with indices based on relative distributions. Gaston Yalonetzky (OPHI-RP-14a.pdf 2009). This paper proposes a family of new indices which measure and are sensitive to inequality between pairs of groups whenever that inequality implies disadvantage for a group of concern. The indices are applied to quantify the degree of gender inequality across the missing dimensions of poverty in Chile, using the 2009 OPHI addendum to the CASEN 2006.
The Pink Streak in a Grey Market: Queerness and Poverty in the Urban Philippines. Ryan Thoreson (OPHI-RP-13a.pdf 2009). This paper undertakes an anthropological exploration of the Missing Dimensions among gay communities in the Philippines. It has been published in the Journal of Human Development and Capabilities.
Agencia de los padres y logros de los hijos: Explorando el caso de America Latina. Maria Emma Santos, Emma Samman, Gaston Yalonetzky (OPHI-RP-12a.pdf 2009). This background paper, prepared for the 2009 Human Development Report in Latin America and the Caribbean, is the first effort to measure agency in the capital cities of three Latin American countries and explores the role of parents’ agency in reducing intergenerational transmission of ‘low outcomes’. (In Spanish).
Child Poverty Measurement: An Assessment of Methods and an Application to Bangladesh. José Manuel Roche (OPHI-RP11b.pdf 2009). This paper applies Alkire and Foster’s (2007) methodology to the measurement of multidimensional child poverty using the 2006 Bangladesh Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey. It examines how this methodology can complement other measures of child poverty, and considers the implications of the results for policy makers.
Agency and Empowerment: A review of concepts, indicators and empirical evidence. Emma Samman and Maria Emma Santos (OPHI-RP-10a.pdf 2009). This review corresponds to the first part of a background paper for the 2009 Human Development Report in Latin America and the Caribbean on Agency, Empowerment and the Intergenerational Transmission of Inequality in Latin America
Testing for stochastic dominance among additive, multivariate welfare functions with discrete variable. Gaston Yalonetzky (OPHI-RP-9a.pdf 2009). This paper shows how to expand already existing conditions of stochastic dominance for additive welfare functions and proposes a test for multiple discrete variables based on Anderson's (1996) nonparametric test.
The MDGs: Multidimensionality and Interconnection. Sabina Alkire with James Foster (OPHI-RP-8a.pdf 2009).A background paper to the UK White Paper on Development on ‘Eliminating Poverty’, which is under construction.
Determining BPL Status: Some Methodological Improvements. Sabina Alkire and Suman Seth (OPHI-RP-7a.pdf 2009). A draft paper on the 2002 method for identifying Below the Poverty Line households in rural India, which argues that mis-targeting is significantly influenced by the measurement methodology, not only by corruption as has been supposed.
Multidimensional Measures of Poverty & Well-Being. Sabina Alkire and Moizza B Sarwar (OPHI-RP-6a.pdf 2009). A background paper for the European Commission Report, ‘An Agenda for a Reformed Cohesion Policy’, and surveys institutions that are implementing multidimensional measures.
Bhutan’s Gross National Happiness Index: Methodology and Results. Sabina Alkire (OPHI-RP-5a.pdf 2008). An informal note on the Gross National Happiness Index that was released by the Centre of Bhutan Studies. For more information on the data and index in general please see the website http://www.grossnationalhappiness.com.
Gross National Happiness and Poverty in Bhutan: Applying the GNH Index Methodology to explore Poverty. Sabina Alkire, Maria Emma Santos, and Karma Ura (OPHI-RP-4a.pdf 2008). Paper presented at the Gross National Happiness Conference in Bhutan, at 26 November 2008, re-analyses pilot GNH data, using 'poverty' cutoffs rather than, as in the GNH Index, 'sufficiency' cutoffs.
Amartya Sen. Sabina Alkire (OPHI-RP-3a.pdf 2008). Draft entry for the Edward Elgar Handbook of Ethics and Economics.
The Capability Approach to Quality of Life Measures. Sabina Alkire. (OPHI-RP-2a.pdf 2008). A background paper for the Commission on the Measurement of Economic Performance and Social Progress, instigated by President Sarkozy.
Counting and Multidimensional Poverty. Sabina Alkire and James Foster (OPHI-RP-1a.pdf 2007). A non-technical policy-oriented summary of Working Paper 7 by Alkire and Foster, which was presented at the IFPRI meetings in Beijing, October 2007.
