An Introduction to ‘Benefit of the Doubt’ Composite Indicators

Despite their increasing use, composite indicators remain controversial. The undesirable dependence of countries’ rankings on the preliminary normalization stage, and the disagreement among experts/stakeholders on the specific weighting scheme used to aggregate sub-indicators, are often invoked to undermine the credibility of composite indicators. Data envelopment analysis may be instrumental in overcoming these limitations. One part of its appeal in the composite indicator context stems from its invariance to measurement units, which entails that a normalization stage can be skipped. Secondly, it fills the informational gap in the ‘right’ set of weights by generating flexible ‘benefit of the doubt’-weights for each evaluated country. The ease of interpretation is a third advantage of the specific model that is the main focus of this paper. In sum, the method may help to neutralize some recurring sources of criticism on composite indicators, allowing one to shift the focus to other, and perhaps more essential stages of their construction. An abridged version of this paper was presented at the Workshop on European Indicators and Scoreboards, organised by DG Education and the Joint Research Centre within the auspices of CRELL, in Brussels, October 24–25, 2005.     

高校教师国际化水平评价与提升途径——以上海理工大学能源与动力工程学院为例

为探索高校教师国际化素质的激励机制,建立由教师、教学和科研国际化3个一级指标、7个二级指标和18个三级指标组成的评价指标体系,采用层次分析和主观经验相结合的方法确定指标权重,建立模糊综合评价模型。以地方工科高校能源类直属二级院系上海理工大学能源与动力工程学院为例,对其教师国际化现状与水平进行综合评价。在此基础上,以评价指标和结果为指导,提出教师国际化素质提升的应对方法与途径。     

管理研究者和实践者共同语言的构建

管理研究者与实践者之间存在着沟通鸿沟,这一障碍的存在既不利于管理研究的发展,又不利于管理实践的改善。基于此,从意义构建角度,提出了消除这种鸿沟的方法,即通过"差异辨识-制定规则-选择问题-形成协作"4个阶段的合作,以及构建管理研究的评价体系,减少管理研究和管理实践间的不对称性,促进两者间的有效沟通,从而实现面向实践的管理研究的良性发展。     

农村群体性事件预警指标体系构建研究

研究分析国内外农村群体性事件预警及相关研究的现状,认为农村群体性事件是社会矛盾积累的结果。根据农村群体性事件诱因体系以及预警指标体系构建原则和指导理念,研究构建其初步的预警指标体系。运用专家调查法,通过定量分析和定性分析,完善初步构建的预警指标体系,研究得出农村群体性事件预警指标体系的基本构想。     

Evaluation of performance of European cities with the aim to promote quality of life improvements

This paper explores the possibilities presented by DEA to assess quality of life and evaluate the performance of city managers in what concerns the promotion of urban quality of life. Using the data provided by the Urban Audit program, from the European Union, we defined the city profile regarding quality of life for 206 cities. Two approaches are presented: the construction of a composite indicator of quality of life and the assessment of local management performance, contextualised by the GDP per capita to measure the ability of local authorities to promote quality of life given the economic condition of the country. The results identify the cities with urban best practices and present a model of intervention for the cities considered inefficient, based on benchmarking principles.     

基于因子分析法的石油公司竞争力评价研究

综合指数评价法是目前企业竞争力评价研究中使用最多的方法之一,但该方法存在指标之间有相关性和指标权重确定的主观性强等问题。为了克服这些不足,正确评价石油公司的竞争力,对20家典型石油公司的11项关键指标采用因子分析法进行评价研究,选取规模因子、效益因子、技术因子和可持续发展因子四个竞争力因子,计算各公司的因子得分和综合得分,对比分析国际石油公司、国家石油公司和独立石油公司之间的竞争优劣势。中国石油公司未来应继续坚持国际化战略,加强与国际石油公司的合作,提高技术水平和管理水平,从而提升国际竞争力。     

Performance indicators for collaborative networks based on collaboration benefits

Collaborative networks are typically assumed to bring clear benefits and competitive advantage to the participating members. However, the identification and characterisation of objective and measurable collaboration benefits is an important element for the wide adoption of this paradigm. Departing from a brief categorisation of the intuitive advantages of collaboration, this paper introduces an approach for the analysis of benefits in collaborative processes, introducing a number of performance indicators. The potential application of the indicators derived from this analysis is then discussed in the context of a virtual organisation's breeding environment. Finally, experimental results based on data from two existing collaborative networks are presented and discussed.     

海运大国与海运强国辨析

从分析与国家海运实力相关的国际排名入手,认为这些排名虽从某些方面对海运强国进行了间接评价,但是无法全面体现海运强国的内涵。通过综合考虑“软”“硬”两方面因素,建立海运强国的考核指标并加以论证,指出国家海运总体竞争力与国家海运业综合影响能力共同构成海运强国的基本内涵。并结合对海运强国内涵的分析,预测中国将于2020年前实现由海运大国向海运强国的转变。     

论农村信息化建设

农村信息化是新形势下现代化发展与信息化战略自然耦合的结果。新农村信息化建设是个复杂的系统工程,加快农村信息化建设是统筹城乡经济社会发展,缩小城乡“数字鸿沟”,促进城乡经济交流、文化交融和农民思想观念更新的一项重要举措,是解决“三农”问题和建设社会主义新农村的重要途径。     

From Birth to Death: A Social Monitoring Framework from New Zealand

The paper begins by outlining the development of social indicators work and social monitoring at the national level in New Zealand and comments on how this relates to the international movement. It describes the 'key' indicators/life stage approach developed by the New Zealand Planning Council in the early 1980s. This exercise continues from a university base and the fourth report in the series, entitled Tracking Social Change in New Zealand was published in early 1998. Examples are presented to show how the results can be used to highlight the policy implications of changing social trends.