Literature Review of Frameworks for Macro-indicators

There has been an explosion of interest in recent years in Canada and other countries in macro-indicators and composite indexes of economic and social well-being. This reflects growing recognition of the important role macro-indicators can play as a tool for evaluating trends in and levels of economic and social development and for assessing the impact of policy on well-being. This report provides a literature review of conceptual/operational frameworks for the development of macro-indicators that give an assessment of economic, labour market and social conditions or states of well-being. The report provides an analysis of frameworks for macro-indicators by discussing general framework issues; identifies and describes six specific frameworks for macro-indicators which the author regards as particularly important or relevant, and discusses the strengths and weaknesses of these sets of indicators/composite indexes; and provides a description of an additional 31 sets of indicators and composite indexes broken down into economic, social, economic/social, and labour market areas. The report concludes that no existing framework currently includes all important concepts and linkages and that it is unlikely that one ever will. As the survey of the macro-indicators literature reveals, the development of a framework for macro-indicators involves choices related to the domains of interest, the purpose for which the indicator is designed, and the population to be covered, among others. Choices or tradeoffs must be made and a balance struck between conceptual sophistication and transparency and between complex linkages that could potentially confuse the user and simplicity.