e-Frame Handbook:Map for Policy Use of Progress Indicators

Emanuele Baldacci

Italian National Institute of Statistics (Istat)

Head of the Department for Integration, Quality, Research and Production Networks Development (DIQR)

e-Frame Final ConferenceAmsterdam, 10-11 February, 2014

Outline

Moving from measuring to policy use of indicators

Handbook on measuring progress

Structure

Format

Contents

Concluding remarks

Emanuele Baldacci. e-Frame Handbook on Measuring Progress. Amsterdam, February 10th – 11th 2013

Emanuele Baldacci. e-Frame Handbook on Measuring Progress. Amsterdam, February 10th – 11th 2013

Moving from measuring to policy use of indicators“In this time of crises, when new political narratives are necessary to identify where our societies should go, the report advocates a shift of emphasis from a “production-oriented” measurement system to one focused on the well-being of current and future generations, i.e. towards broader measures of social progress.” (Stiglitz-Sen-Fitoussi report, 2008)

The importance of shifting from measurement to policy use and the importance of providing policy makers with ideas and tools on how to use new measures in their policies best (Giovannini, 4th World Forum 2012)

e-Frame Handbook on Measuring Progress

coordinated by Istat in partnership with e-Frame Consortium final version – June 2014

Emanuele Baldacci. e-Frame Handbook on Measuring Progress. Amsterdam, February 10th – 11th 2013

Handbook on measuring progress Map of policy use of well-being indicators

Results emerged from all e-Frame WPs, in particular from workshops, conferences and stocktaking reports

+ Other EU projects (Brainpool)

+ EU Agencies (Joint Research Centre, European Institute for Gender Equality)

At the forefront of the debate:

How to support policy use of WB indicators?

How to support evidence-based decision process?

What successful experiences exist?

What are the limitations?

Emanuele Baldacci. e-Frame Handbook on Measuring Progress. Amsterdam, February 10th – 11th 2013

Structure

Introduction Introducing well-being indicators in policy design  

A. Measuring well-being and societal progress Thematic topics (wealth, income, subjective well-being, human capital, globalisation, environment, etc.)

B. Methodologies and tools for measuring well-being and societal progress Cross-cutting topics (composite indicators, indicators legitimacy and stakeholders inclusion, measuring well-being at local level, dissemination and sharing information, etc.)

C. Towards an integrated policy framework for better lives Policy-integrated frameworks for well-being: putting well-being at the core of policy-making, examples and challenges

Emanuele Baldacci. e-Frame Handbook on Measuring Progress. Amsterdam, February 10th – 11th 2013

FormatTemplate for thematic topics

1. Why it is important2. Which measures should be considered3. How to use them4. Uses to dateReferences

Template for methods and tools

1. Why it is important2. Which initiatives/ tools/ references should be considered3. How to implement/ exploit them4. Best practices/ recommendations/ future developmentsReferences

Emanuele Baldacci. e-Frame Handbook on Measuring Progress. Amsterdam, February 10th – 11th 2013

What issues are addressed by the Handbook? e-Frame Roadmap topics:

A.concern official statistics

B.are related to a looking-forward perspective

C.regard the usage of non-official data

D.deal with the communication side

Main suggestions from the handbook:

Relevant measures and indicators for informing policies Subject areas that need more research investments Gaps in available statistical information (availability, accessibility, comparability, etc.)

Frameworks and goals Models needed (embedding well-being targets, looking at interactions between

dimensions and across boundaries, managing trade-offs, etc.)

Practical approach: how to use the proposed indicators and uses to date Wording: easy to understand, not for specialists but addressed to a wider audience Recommendations for use

Emanuele Baldacci. e-Frame Handbook on Measuring Progress. Amsterdam, February 10th – 11th 2013

What can be expected from a “Map of Policy Use”

Instructions for the use of progress indicators in policy making

Check list of progress made and practices

State-of-the-art:

A. Measures not fully developed and measurement of latent factorsB. Measures currently produced by official statistics but often ignored

in policy making

C. Good practices of cases which moved “Beyond GDP”

Emanuele Baldacci. e-Frame Handbook on Measuring Progress. Amsterdam, February 10th – 11th 2013

Contents: examples of thematic topics(A) Globalisation: trade flows in value-added terms, spillover effects of global value chains, “job content” of trade, environmental impact of trade

(A) Intangibles: computerised information, innovative property and economic competencies

(B) Material conditions: experiences “adjusting GDP”, “replacing GDP” or “supplementing GDP”

(B) Worker welfare and labour markets. Prospects: job security, career progression, contract quality; Intrinsic job quality: discretion, social environment, physical environment, work intensity; Working time quality: including work duration, and short-term flexibility

(C) Subjective measures. Holistic assessments to understand the drivers of well-being; possible cost/benefit and cost/well-being analyses

(C) Environmental indicators: Ecosystem integrity; integrated environmental-economic accounting; indicators of environmental policy

Emanuele Baldacci. e-Frame Handbook on Measuring Progress. Amsterdam, February 10th – 11th 2013

Contents: examples of tools and methodologies

Stakeholders: all relevant actors, including “hard-to-reach groups”, media

Composite indicators: needed, but with due caution

Local level: from local definitions of progress to Small Area Estimates

ICT tools: from visualisation tools to Web 3.0

Advanced training: to enhance communication at all levels

Emanuele Baldacci. e-Frame Handbook on Measuring Progress. Amsterdam, February 10th – 11th 2013

Contents: a policy-integrated framework

Key challenges: Which specific goals should a policy maker pursue? How should scarce resources be prioritised?How to manage trade-offs between different dimensions of well-being? How to analyse interrelations between different dimensions?

Policy-integrated framework for well-being Conceptual framework for well-being

Indicators of changes in the relevant outcome measures Specific process for assessing policy in well-being terms

Targets: Alignment of outcomes Analysis of policy options and their consequences Accountability for results

Emanuele Baldacci. e-Frame Handbook on Measuring Progress. Amsterdam, February 10th – 11th 2013

Concluding remarks

Still limited policy applications

Importance of settings to assess policy impacts

Need for a conceptual framework to link inputs, outputs and outcomes

Need to find the right balance between comprehensiveness and simplicity (e.g. New Zealand Treasury approach) and between analytical measurements and summary indicators

Focus on shared narrative on well-being and progress

Further research on indicator causal maps and modelling

Contacts:baldacci@istat.it

www.eframeproject.eu

Thank you for your attention

Emanuele Baldacci. e-Frame Handbook on Measuring Progress. Amsterdam, February 10th – 11th 2013