The International Postal Network and Other Global Flows as Proxies for National Wellbeing
Publication Date
2016-06-01Journal Title
PLOS ONE
ISSN
1932-6203
Publisher
Public Library of Science
Volume
11
Number
e0155976
Language
English
Type
Article
This Version
VoR
Metadata
Show full item recordCitation
Hristova, D., Rutherford, A., Anson, J., Luengo-Oroz, M., & Mascolo, C. (2016). The International Postal Network and Other Global Flows as Proxies for National Wellbeing. PLOS ONE, 11 (e0155976)https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0155976
Abstract
The digital exhaust left by flows of physical and digital commodities provides a rich measure of the nature, strength and significance of relationships between countries in the global network. With this work, we examine how these traces and the network structure can reveal the socioeconomic profile of different countries. We take into account multiple international networks of physical and digital flows, including the previously unexplored international postal network. By measuring the position of each country in the Trade, Postal, Migration, International Flights, IP and Digital Communications networks, we are able to build proxies for a number of crucial socioeconomic indicators such as GDP per capita and the Human Development Index ranking along with twelve other indicators used as benchmarks of national well-being by the United Nations and other international organisations. In this context, we have also proposed and evaluated a global connectivity degree measure applying multiplex theory across the six networks that accounts for the strength of relationships between countries. We conclude by showing how countries with shared community membership over multiple networks have similar socioeconomic profiles. Combining multiple flow data sources can help understand the forces which drive economic activity on a global level. Such an ability to infer proxy indicators in a context of incomplete information is extremely timely in light of recent discussions on measurement of indicators relevant to the Sustainable Development Goals.
Sponsorship
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (Grant ID: EP/K019392)
Project LASAGNE Contract No. 318132 (STREP) - funded by the European Commission
Funder references
EC FP7 CP (318132)
EPSRC (EP/K019392/1)
Embargo Lift Date
2100-01-01
Identifiers
External DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0155976
This record's URL: https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/256215
Rights
Attribution 4.0 International, Attribution 4.0 International, Attribution 4.0 International, Attribution 4.0 International, Attribution 4.0 International
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