The Capability Approach and Evaluation of the Well-Being in Senegal: An Operationalization with the Structural Equations Models

Felwine Sarr,Muhammad Ba

doi:10.4236/me.2017.81007

Abstract

This article uses the theoretical framework of the capabilities approach to offer a structural assessment model of well-being in the context of Senegal. To this end, we mobilize the Senegalese data (ESPS-II) and an evaluation space including basic and central capabilities of [1] and [2], which are: living conditions, education and health body, non-institutional support and good governance, on the one hand, and the three dimensions of well-being (economic well-being, life satisfaction and subjective well-being), on the other hand. With the modeling technique by structural equations: PLS-PM (Partial Linear Square-Path Modeling), we find that the estimation model of well-being has built good predictive quality. In addition, it shows that the basic capabilities (education, living conditions and health of the body) positively determine well-being (economic well-being, subjective well-being and life satisfaction). Also, economic well-being and life satisfaction positively predict and cause subjective well-being. Contrariwise, non-institutional support and good governance do not significantly cause subjective well-being. Between these two capabilities, only good governance has a significant and positive effect on life satisfaction.

Highlights

With the modeling technique by structural equations: partial least square method (PLS)-PM (Partial Linear Square-Path Modeling), we find that the estimation model of well-being has built good predictive quality
According to [49], there are five methods generally used by applications of CA and multidimensional poverty, to select the relevant dimensions and that is: the fact of being based on existing data; to make normative assumptions based on the values of the society that uphold social or religious theories; using a set of dimensions that result from a consensus or public discussion, as the Millennium Development Goals, the human rights...; to initiate a deliberative participation and to base on empirical evidence
We use the partial least square method (PLS) instead of OLS end to guard against the risk of co-linearity as recommended by Tenenhaus et al [57]

Summary

Introduction

CA developed by [3] [4] [5], is not a theory that explains the poverty, inequality or welfare, but a flexible, multi-purpose approach that allows conceptualizing and measuring these phenomena [4] [6] [7] [8] In this sense, the CA is a normative framework which proposes that the social organization and the individual states are assessed in accordance with the increased capabilities of individuals to do what they value [9]. Sen’s approach is an open structure which is deliberately undefined and allows a user that takes into account the context of evaluation This is what makes its theoretical relevance along with its practical difficulty. Most studies concerning developing countries assess the well-being of individuals and their level of poverty; considering mainly the income or the different assets that they have as the basis of their assessment

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Conclusion