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What does Brunei teach us about using Human Development Index rankings as a policy tool?

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  • Bryane Michael

Abstract

The Bruneian Government has set an ambitious target to achieve a top 10 ranking on the United Nations Development Programme's (UNDP) Human Development Index (HDI) by 2035. To achieve its objective (described in a national strategy document called the Wawasan 2035), Brunei's economy needs to grow by 6% to 7%. Is setting an HDI target a good way to govern Brunei's policy†making? Is it a good way to govern any country's policy†making? In this article, we look at the role of HDI†rank targets in economic and fiscal policy. We show that such a headline target (much like a profit target in a private company) automatically sets targets for growth in various economic sectors and fiscal policy targets. As such, HDI†rank targeting may provide a useful mechanism for co†ordinating development policies and for monitoring progress against a wide range of development goals using only one number.

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  • Bryane Michael, 2018. "What does Brunei teach us about using Human Development Index rankings as a policy tool?," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 36(S1), pages 414-431, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:devpol:v:36:y:2018:i:s1:p:o414-o431
    DOI: 10.1111/dpr.12341
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    Cited by:

    1. Stephen Morse, 2020. "To Rank or Not to Rank with Indices? That Is the Question," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(14), pages 1-20, July.

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    JEL classification:

    • F63 - International Economics - - Economic Impacts of Globalization - - - Economic Development
    • O11 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Macroeconomic Analyses of Economic Development
    • L74 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Primary Products and Construction - - - Construction
    • C61 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Mathematical Methods; Programming Models; Mathematical and Simulation Modeling - - - Optimization Techniques; Programming Models; Dynamic Analysis

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