Human development index

The Human Development Index (HDI) is a statistic composite index of life expectancy, education, and per capita income indicators, which are used to rank countries into four tiers of human development. The HDI is used to measure and compare the level of development of countries around the world and provides a comprehensive view of a country’s development, by combining three dimensions: health, education, and economic opportunities. The HDI is a valuable tool for management as it provides an objective measure by which to compare countries and their progress in developing their economies, expanding educational opportunities, and improving the health of their citizens.

Human development index indicators

• The Human Development Index (HDI) is a composite index that measures a country’s achievements in three basic areas - health, education, and economic opportunities. It is used to rank countries into four tiers of human development. For example, in 2020, Norway had the highest HDI of 0.953, followed by Ireland with 0.944. On the other end of the spectrum, Niger had the lowest HDI of 0.354, followed by the Central African Republic with 0.371.
• In practical terms, the HDI can be used to measure and compare the progress of different countries in developing their economies, expanding educational opportunities, and improving the health of their citizens. For example, the HDI can help to identify countries that are lagging behind in terms of economic development, and those that are making good progress in terms of improving the health and education of their citizens.
• The HDI is also a useful tool for policy makers as it allows them to assess the impact of economic, social and health policies on people’s wellbeing. For instance, the HDI can be used to identify areas in which a country needs to focus its efforts in order to improve the lives of its citizens. It can also be used to assess the effectiveness of policies that have already been implemented, by comparing the country’s HDI before and after the policy was implemented.

Formula of human development index

The Human Development Index (HDI) is a statistic used to rank countries and assess their levels of human development. It is calculated using the following three indicators:

1. Life Expectancy Index (LEI): This is a measure of a country’s average life expectancy at birth. It is calculated using the following formula:

\begin{equation} LEI = \frac{(e_0 + e_1 + e_2 + e_3 + \cdots + e_n)}{n + 1}, \end{equation}

where $$e_0$$ is the life expectancy at birth for the current year, $$e_1$$ is the life expectancy at birth for the previous year, and $$e_n$$ is the life expectancy at birth for the nth year.

1. Education Index (EI): This is a measure of a country’s average years of schooling. It is calculated using the following formula:

\begin{equation} EI = \frac{(y_0 + y_1 + y_2 + y_3 + \cdots + y_n)}{n + 1}, \end{equation}

where $$y_0$$ is the average years of schooling for the current year, $$y_1$$ is the average years of schooling for the previous year, and $$y_n$$ is the average years of schooling for the nth year.

1. Income Index (II): This is a measure of a country’s per capita gross national income. It is calculated using the following formula:

\begin{equation} II = \frac{(i_0 + i_1 + i_2 + i_3 + \cdots + i_n)}{n + 1}, \end{equation}

where $$i_0$$ is the per capita gross national income for the current year, $$i_1$$ is the per capita gross national income for the previous year, and $$i_n$$ is the per capita gross national income for the nth year.

The HDI is then calculated using the following formula:

\begin{equation} HDI = \frac{LEI + EI + II}{3}. \end{equation}

The result of this formula is a score between 0 and 1, with 0 representing the lowest level of human development and 1 representing the highest level of human development.

When to use human development index

The Human Development Index (HDI) can be used in a variety of ways to assess and compare the development of countries around the world. It is an invaluable tool for management, providing an objective measure by which to compare countries and their progress in developing their economies, expanding educational opportunities, and improving the health of their citizens. Some of the applications of the HDI include:

• Monitoring and evaluating progress in development: the HDI provides a comprehensive view of a country’s development, allowing for comparisons between countries and over time. This enables governments and international organizations to track progress and take corrective actions where needed.
• Identifying development goals: the HDI can be used to identify key development goals for a country, such as increasing access to health care, improving educational opportunities, and reducing poverty.
• Evaluating priorities: the HDI can help prioritize resources and guide policy decisions by highlighting areas of greatest need.
• Measuring outcomes: the HDI can be used to measure the success of development interventions, as well as to compare the performance of countries in relation to one another.
• Assessing global progress: the HDI can be used to assess global progress in development, including the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Types of human development index

The Human Development Index (HDI) is a statistic composite index of life expectancy, education, and per capita income indicators, which are used to rank countries into four tiers of human development. There are several types of HDI, including:

• The Gender Development Index (GDI) - This index measures gender inequality in a society by comparing the life expectancy, educational attainment, and income of men and women.
• The Gender Inequality Index (GII) - This index measures the inequality between men and women in terms of reproductive health, empowerment, and labor market participation.
• The Human Poverty Index (HPI) - This index measures a country’s relative deprivation in terms of education, health, and living standards.
• The Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) - This index measures poverty in terms of access to education, health, nutrition, and living standards.
• The Inequality-Adjusted Human Development Index (IHDI) - This index measures the average level of human development in a country while also taking into account the inequality that exists within it.

Advantages of human development index

The Human Development Index (HDI) is an important tool for measuring and comparing the level of development of countries around the world. The HDI has many advantages, including:

• It provides an objective measure for comparison between countries. By combining the three dimensions of health, education, and economic opportunities, the HDI provides a comprehensive view of a country’s development.
• It provides an opportunity for countries to measure their progress in developing their economies, expanding educational opportunities, and improving the health of their citizens.
• It helps to identify countries that are lagging behind in terms of human development, which allows for targeted interventions to improve access to health care, education, and economic opportunities.
• It can help to focus the attention of governments and other stakeholders on the areas that need the most improvement.
• The HDI is an internationally recognized and widely accepted measure of human development, which makes it easier to compare countries and their progress.

Limitations of human development index

The Human Development Index (HDI) is a valuable tool for measuring and comparing the level of development of countries around the world. However, it has some limitations that must be taken into account when using it. These include:

• The HDI does not account for inequality within countries. It measures the average level of development but does not take into account the differences between individuals in a country or between different regions in a country.
• The HDI does not account for environmental sustainability. It does not measure the environmental impact of economic activities, or the impact of climate change on human development.
• The HDI does not account for the quality of life. It does not measure factors such as access to clean water, access to healthcare, and access to education.
• The HDI does not account for political stability. It does not take into account the level of democracy or the level of corruption within a country.
• The HDI does not account for the level of cultural development within a country. It does not measure factors such as the level of cultural diversity, shared values, and cultural norms.

Human development index — recommended articles

Poverty gap — Corruption perception index — Positive tourism impacts — Indicator of social development — Oslo manual — Social impact — Social economy — National income measures — Structural productivity

References

• Sagar, A. D., & Najam, A. (1998). The human development index: a critical review. Ecological economics, 25(3), 249-264.
• Ranis, G., Stewart, F., & Samman, E. (2006). Human development: beyond the human development index. Journal of Human Development, 7(3), 323-358.