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Corresponding Author:
Enrico Ivaldi, Department of Economics, University of Genova, Italy

Coauthors:
Guido Bonatti, Department of Economics, University of Genova, Italy
Riccardo Soliani, Department of Political Science, University of Genova, Italy

Is there a Two-Speed Europe also in the Well-Being?

Volume 69 - Issue 1, February 2016
(pp. 45-68)
JEL classification: I32, C14, O15
Keywords: European Union, Multidimensional Well-being, Composite Index, MPI, Pena’s Distance

Abstract

Eurostat databases provide forty indicators relevant to measure the well-being in different countries. In this paper we propose to identify different levels of wellbeing in two European areas, by the analysis of a sample of Centre-North Europe (Sweden, Germany, France, Britain and the Netherlands, which are among the most advanced states), and a sample of Mediterranean countries (Italy, Spain, Portugal and Greece). The goal of the research is to grasp and quantify the specificities of these countries in a phase when inequalities grow. We have represented welfare through 11 dimensions based on 77 variables and analyzed the differences in each of them between the countries in the two areas by Pena's Distance and MPI, two different methodologies – parametric and non-parametric – that allow the combination of variables in a way consistent with our objective. 


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Institute for International Economics
of the Genoa Chamber of Commerce


Istituto di Economia Internazionale
Camera di Commercio di Genova
Via Garibaldi, 4 (III piano) - 16124 Genova (Italy)
www.ge.camcom.gov.it