Multidimensional Poverty Measurement and Analysis: Chapter 2 – The Framework

Alkire, S., Foster, J. E., Seth, S., Santos, M. E., Roche, J. M., and Ballon, P. (2015). Multidimensional Poverty Measurement and Analysis, Oxford: Oxford University Press, ch. 2.

OPHI Working Paper No. 83

63 Pages Posted: 16 Feb 2015

See all articles by Sabina Alkire

Sabina Alkire

Oxford Poverty & Human Development Initiative

James E. Foster

George Washington University

Suman Seth

University of Oxford - Oxford Poverty & Human Development Initiative; University of Leeds - Economics Division; University of Leeds - Faculty of Business

Maria Emma Santos

CONICET-UNS/IIESS and OPHI

Jose Roche

Oxford Poverty & Human Development Initiative

Paola Ballon

University of Oxford; Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative

Date Written: January 15, 2015

Abstract

This working paper introduces the notation and basic concepts that are used throughout the OPHI Working Papers 82-91. The Paper has five sections. First we review unidimensional poverty measurement with particular attention to the well-known Foster-Greer-Thorbecke measures of income poverty as many methods presented in OPHI Working Paper 84 (Chapter 3 – Overview of Methods for Multidimensional Poverty Assessment) as well as the measure presented in OPHI Working Papers 86-90 (Chapters 5-9) are based on these measures. The second section introduces the notation and basic concepts for multidimensional poverty measurement that are used in subsequent chapters. Third we define indicators’ scales of measurement, and fourth, addressissues of comparability across people and dimensions. The fifth section systematically explains different properties that have been proposed in axiomatic approaches to multidimensional poverty measurement, which enable the analyst to understand the ethical principles embodied in a measure and to be aware of the direction of change they will exhibit under certain transformations.

Keywords: Foster-Greer-Thorbecke measures, scales of measurement, ordinal data properties of poverty measurement, axiomatic methods, joint distribution, identification, aggregation

JEL Classification: D63, I32.

Suggested Citation

Alkire, Sabina and Foster, James E. and Seth, Suman and Santos, Maria Emma and Roche, Jose and Ballon, Paola, Multidimensional Poverty Measurement and Analysis: Chapter 2 – The Framework (January 15, 2015). Alkire, S., Foster, J. E., Seth, S., Santos, M. E., Roche, J. M., and Ballon, P. (2015). Multidimensional Poverty Measurement and Analysis, Oxford: Oxford University Press, ch. 2., OPHI Working Paper No. 83, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2564766

Sabina Alkire

Oxford Poverty & Human Development Initiative ( email )

Queen Elizabeth House
3 Mansfield Road
Oxford, Oxfordshire OX1 3TB
United Kingdom

James E. Foster

George Washington University ( email )

2121 I Street NW
Washington, DC 20052
United States

Suman Seth

University of Oxford - Oxford Poverty & Human Development Initiative

3 Mansfield Road
Queen Elizabeth House
Oxford, Oxfordshire OX1 3TB
United Kingdom
+44 1865 618643 (Phone)

HOME PAGE: http://ophi.org.uk/about/people/research-associates-and-advisors/suman-seth/

University of Leeds - Economics Division ( email )

Leeds LS2 9JT
United Kingdom
+44(0)1133432629 (Phone)

HOME PAGE: http://business.leeds.ac.uk/about-us/our-people/staff-directory/profile/suman-seth/

University of Leeds - Faculty of Business ( email )

Leeds LS2 9JT
United Kingdom

Maria Emma Santos

CONICET-UNS/IIESS and OPHI ( email )

12 de Octubre y San Juan
Bahia Blanca, Buenos Aires 8000
Argentina

Jose Roche

Oxford Poverty & Human Development Initiative ( email )

Queen Elizabeth House (QEH)
3 Mansfield Road
Oxford, OX1 3TB
United Kingdom

Paola Ballon (Contact Author)

University of Oxford ( email )

South Parks Road
Oxford, Oxforshire OX1 3QY
United Kingdom

HOME PAGE: http://oxford.academia.edu/PaolaBallon

Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative ( email )

University of Oxford
3 Mansfield Road
Oxford, OX1 3TB
United Kingdom

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