On the use of the Gini index in economic and statistical studies

Frequent cases of incorrect use of the Gini index in economic and statistical studies have forced the authors to express their opinion. This refers to those calculations that consider average and relative (per capita) rates rather than divide total rates into groups. A right choice and a correct use of statistical tools play a crucial role in statistical research for an analysis of valid and reliable statistical data. Even the simplest and most widely known method of statistical data processing requires competent use depending on the original data. The data provided in the article demonstrates possibilities and conditions of the Gini index use, which is popular among researchers. The concentration index (often referred to as the Gini index in the literature) was originally proposed by the Italian statistician K. Gini to assess the degree of uneven distribution ofwealth (income) within a population. The authors proceed from the fact that the concentration index can be used for characterizing inequalities of many other indicators. The article contains description of key provisions of the statistical theory of measuring such properties units collectively as «concentration» and well-known formulas for calculating the Gini index. The authors emphasize the important condition of this indicator application: raw data must consider the possibility of distribution allocated to the group together, i. e. it must be necessarily presented as group totals, not as indicators per capita or average values.

кривая Лоренца, коэффициент Джини, индекс концентрации, распределение населения по среднедушевым денежным доходам, распределение денежных доходов населения по 20%-ным группам населения, группировки, средние величины, показатели дифференциации, Lorenz curve, Gini coefficient, concentration index, distribution of the population by average per capita money income, distribution of money income by 20% groups of population, statistical grouping, averages, indicators of differentiation

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