In the literature there are a number of generalizations of the Gini coefficient which inherit most of its appealing properties. These families allow the incorporation of different value judgments and all of them are more sensitive to transfers among the poorest individuals in society than to...

In several economic fields, such as those related to health or education, the individuals’ characteristics are measured by bounded variables. Accordingly, these characteristics may be indistinctly represented by achievements or shortfalls. A difficulty arises when inequality needs to be...

We provide a simple proof of Foster's (1983) characterization of the Theil inequality index.

A match is a recursive zero-sum game with three possible outcomes: player 1 wins, player 2 wins or there is a draw. Play proceeds by steps from state to state. In each state players play a "point game" and move to the next state according to transition probabilities jointly determined by their...

We examine the problem of measuring the extent to which students with different income levels attend separate schools. Unless rich and poor attend the same schools in the same proportions, some segregation will exist. Since income is a continuous cardinal variable, however, the rich-poor...

An income inequality measure satisfies the Pigou-Dalton transfer principle if progressive transfers decrease income inequality. When transfers cause transaction costs, one can trace out the maximum leakage such that the transfer pays at the margin. An income inequality measure is leaky-bucket...

We consider the classical inequality measures due to Gini, Bonferroni, and De Vergottini and we present a brief review of the three inequality indices and the associated welfare functions, in the correspondence scheme introduced by Blackorby and Donaldson, and Weymark. The three classical...

We consider the classical inequality measures due to Gini, Bonferroni, and De Vergottini and we present a brief review of the three inequality indices and the associated welfare functions, in the correspondence scheme introduced by Blackorby and Donaldson, and Weymark. The three classical...