4.3.1 measures of development

Question 1

Three dimensions of the HDI

Answer 1

Health
-Assess health through life expectancy at birth
-Longer life expectancy=better health

Education
-Mean years of schooling
-Expected years of schooling
-Indicators reflect access to and quality of education

Living Standards
-GNI per capita adjusted for PPP to account for cost of living differences
-Higher GNI per capita represents a higher standard of living

Question 2

How the measures are combined

Answer 2

-Measured on a scale of 0-1
-HDI combines these values by taking the geometric mean of the three indices
-No single dimension dominates the HDI so all have equal importance

Question 3

Advantages of HDI

Answer 3

Holistic - considering all 3 factors

Simplicity - HDI is easy to understand - accessible for policymakers and the public

Global comparisons - highlight trends in development over time

Policy guidance - guide policymakers in identifying areas of development that require attention