European System of Social Indicators

The research of constructing and implementing the European System of Social Indicators aims to develop a theoretically as well as methodologically well-grounded set of measurement dimensions and indicators to be used for a continuous monitoring of the quality of life and societies across Europe. This new indicator system strives to meet ambitious requirements, such as

• the explicit coverage of the ‚European dimension', for example by means of measures of European identity or the inequalities, cohesion and conflict between member countries of the European Union;

• the coverage of new dimensions of welfare and social change as they are presently discussed for example by concepts like ‚social exclusion' and ‚sustainable development';
• the search for new and - in terms of validity and reliability - better indicators;
• the exploitation of the best data sources available and guaranty of the best possible international and intercultural comparability of indicators.

Research on a European System of Social Indicators committed to these objectives and demands includes:

• Development of a conceptual framework: Science-based indicator systems such as the European System of Social Indicators need to be concept driven rather than data or policy-driven. They should in other words be based on an explicit, clearly defined and comprehensive conceptual framework, which allows to guide and justify the choice and selection of measurement dimensions and indicators. With regard to the objectives of monitoring welfare development and socio-structural change in Europe, the concepts of quality of life, social cohesion and sustainability turned out to be central for the framework developed (see Berger-Schmitt/Noll 2000; Noll 2002).
• Design and Definition of the Architecture and Structure: In a second step, the basic structural parameters of the indicator system have to be fixed. This includes the selection of ‚life domains' to be covered, as well as the identification of goal and measurement  dimensions within these domains (for example ‚length of life in good health' as a dimension of ‚health') in accordance with the conceptual framework developed previously. Besides there are decisions to be taken concerning the  coverage of the system, the periodicity of observations or the level of regional disaggregation.
• Indicators Development: In a further step of work adequate indicators are being selected or constructed in order to operationalize measurement dimensions in the various life domains; this includes the definition of socio-demographic and/or regional disaggregations. At this stage, indicators should be selected or constructed irrespective of the availability of adequate data as far as possible (see Berger-Schmitt 2001).
• Provision of indicator time series: For the selected indicators time series, data are being collected using the best available and, if possible, internationally harmonized data sources. If there are no adequate data available, ‚second best' indicators have to be chosen, if necessary.
• Construction of comprehensive indices: It is also within the scope of developing a European System of Social Indicators to review and consider the possibilities of constructing comprehensive indices or to find other solutions (e.g. the selection of 'key indicators') of condensing and synthesizing the variety of information provided by the multitude of single indicators supplied as part of the indicator system.
  
  A first draft of a composite index of living conditions has been developed as part of the domain “total life situation”.

Currently the European System of Social Indicators is being implemented step by step by  Social Indicators at GESIS-ZUMA. At this stage time series data  are available at our website for 8 out of the projected 13 life domains: 'Population, Household and Family', 'Labour Market and Working Conditions', 'Housing', 'Education and Vocational Training', 'Income, Standard of Living and Consumption Patterns' ,'Health', 'Crime and Public Safety' and 'Total Life Situation'.

The indicator system covers as a standard the previous EU-15 countries, Norway, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, as well as Japan and the U.S. as major reference societies. Successively, all the EU-27 member states will be covered systematically, as is already the case for numerous indicators.