Methodology for indicators of social development, final report

MOST SOCIAL INDICATORS HAVE BEEN DESIGNED FOR USE IN STATISTICALLY ADVANCED COUNTRIES. IT IS NECESSARY TO DESIGN AND IMPLEMENT SOCIAL INDICATORS ADAPTED TO THE NEEDS OF DEVELOPMENT PLANNING AND SOCIAL POLICY IN LESS DEVELOPED COUNTRIES. THIS IS REVIEW AND ANALYSIS OF RECENT METHODOLOGICAL APPROACHES TO SOCIAL INDICATOR DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT, COUPLED WITH A GENERAL INVENTORY OF OPERATIONAL INDICATORS THAT ARE APPLICABLE TO SECTOR PLANNING IN THE AREAS OF HEALTH, NUTRITION, EDUCATION, DEMOGRAPHY AND AGRICULTURE. THE PRIMARY OBJECTIVES OF THE REVIEW ARE TO IDENTIFY METHODOLOGICAL APPROACHES FOR THE SELECTION, DESIGN AND USE OF SOCIAL INDICATORS APPLICABLE TO THE PLANNING CONTEXTS OF LESS DEVELOPED COUNTRIES AND TO ASSEMBLE A COMPENDIUM OF MEASURES PROPOSED AS INDICATORS FOR SECTORAL PLANNING. THE ORIENTATION OF THIS REPORT IS TOWARD AN ANALYSIS OF THE SELECTION AND DESIGN OF INDICATORS, AND IT ARGUES THAT AN OPERATIONAL OR PROBLEM ORIENTED APPROACH TO SOCIAL INDICATOR DEVELOPMENT MAY PROVE MORE BENEFICIAL TO LESS DEVELOPED COUNTRIES THAN THE SOCIAL ACCOUNTING AND SOCIAL SYSTEMS APPROACHES ADVOCATED FOR MORE STATISTICALLY DEVELOPED COUNTRIES. THERE IS A BRIEF DESCRIPTION AND ANALYSIS OF CURRENT SOCIAL INDICATOR RESEARCH AND ITS APPLICABILITY TO THE NEEDS OF LESS DEVELOPED COUNTRIES. THE REMAINDER OF THE REPORT FOCUSES ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF SOME OF THE BASIC METHODOLOGICAL PROBLEMS AND PROCEDURES OF AN OPERATIONAL OR POLICY-ORIENTED APPROACH TO SOCIAL INDICATOR DESIGN.