On the Welfare State Performance in the European Union

20 Pages Posted: 29 Nov 2010

See all articles by Tim Coelli

Tim Coelli

University of Queensland - Centre for Efficiency and Productivity Analysis (CEPA)

Mathieu Lefèbvre

University of Strasbourg

Sergio Perelman

University of Liège - Department of Economics

Jukka Pirttila

United Nations - World Institute for Development Economics Research (UNU/WIDER); Tampere University of Technology

Date Written: November 2010

Abstract

In this paper we use data on five social inclusion indicators (poverty, inequality, unemployment, education and health) to assess and compare the performance of 27 European welfare states (EU27) in 2008. Aggregate measures of performance are obtained using index number methods similar to those employed in the construction of the widely used Human Development Index (HDI). These are compared with alternative measures derived from data envelopment analysis (DEA) methods. We are particularly interested by the comparison between EU15 and the 12 newcomers. As it will appear among the newcomers some countries are ranking among the top performers and others are relegated in the bottom of the ranking.

Keywords: best practice frontier, performance measure, social protection

JEL Classification: C14, D24, H50

Suggested Citation

Coelli, Tim and Lefèbvre, Mathieu and Perelman, Sergio and Pirttila, Jukka, On the Welfare State Performance in the European Union (November 2010). CEPR Discussion Paper No. DP8096, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1714868

Tim Coelli (Contact Author)

University of Queensland - Centre for Efficiency and Productivity Analysis (CEPA) ( email )

St. Lucia
Brisbane, Queensland 4072
Australia
+61 7 33656470 (Phone)
+61 7 33657299 (Fax)

Mathieu Lefèbvre

University of Strasbourg ( email )

Strasbourg
France

Sergio Perelman

University of Liège - Department of Economics ( email )

7 Boulevard du Rectorat
Batiment B31
4000 Liege
Belgium
+32 4 156 3098 (Phone)
+32 4 156 2958 (Fax)

Jukka Pirttila

United Nations - World Institute for Development Economics Research (UNU/WIDER) ( email )

Katajanokanlaituri 6B
Helsinki, FIN-00160
Finland

Tampere University of Technology ( email )

P.O. 541, Korkeakoulunkatu 8 (Festia building)
Tampere, FI-33101
Finland

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