--- canonical_url: "https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-43/a-measure-of-well-being-efficiency-based-on-the-world-happiness-report/" title: "A Measure of Well-being Efficiency Based on the World Happiness Report" author: name: "CSLS" url: "https://csls.ca/author/cslc/" date_published: "2026-07-13T08:02:06+00:00" date_modified: "2026-07-13T08:02:06+00:00" post_type: "ipm" summary: "" ipm_issue_period: - "Fall 2022" ipm_keyword: - "126 countries" - "Cantril ladder" - "DEA" - "Luxembourg" - "Nordic" - "STATEC" - "subjective well-being" - "TFP" - "well-being efficiency" - "World Happiness Report" ipm_research_theme: - "Well-being and living standards" ipm_country_focus: - "International" featured_image: "https://csls.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/IPM_50_banner.webp" status: "publish" --- # A Measure of Well-being Efficiency Based on the World Happiness Report Canonical URL: https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-43/a-measure-of-well-being-efficiency-based-on-the-world-happiness-report/ # A Measure of Well-being Efficiency Based on the World Happiness Report [Download full PDF article](https://csls.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/IPM-Issue-43-2-Sarracino-O_Connor.pdf) Cite this article × Cite this article as: Sarracino, Francesco, and Kelsey O’Connor. 2022. “A Measure of Well-being Efficiency Based on the World Happiness Report.” International Productivity Monitor, No. 43 (Fall 2022): 10–40. https://www.csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-43/a-measure-of-well-being-efficiency-based-on-the-world-happiness-report/ ## Authors: - Francesco Sarracino STATEC Research - Kelsey O’Connor STATEC Research ## IPM Issue 43 Fall 2022 pp. 10–40 ## Related IPM articles [Efficiency Adjustment of Hours Worked: Two Possible Modifications of a Jorgensen Production Model Barbara Fraumeni Fall 2025 | IPM Issue 49 | pp. 103–115](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-49/efficiency-adjustment-of-hours-worked-two-possible-modifications-of-a-jorgensen-production-model/) [Labour Productivity as a Measure of Technological Change Ulrich Kohli Fall 2025 | IPM Issue 49 | pp. 64–81](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-49/labour-productivity-as-a-measure-of-technological-change/) [The Relationship between Efficiencies Defenses for Mergers and TFP Growth Robin Shaban Fall 2025 | IPM Issue 49 | pp. 82–102](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-49/the-relationship-between-efficiencies-defenses-for-mergers-and-tfp-growth/) [IPM Issue 49 Editors’ Overview Andrew Sharpe, Bart van Ark, Paul Schreyer Fall 2025 | IPM Issue 49 | pp. 1–2](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-49/) [The UK Productivity Slowdown: A Review of Timing, Magnitude, and Drivers Josh Martin Spring 2025 | IPM Issue 48 | pp. 1–34](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-48/the-uk-productivity-slowdown-a-review-of-timing-magnitude-and-drivers/) [Appendix: UK Productivity Growth Rates Across Data Vintages and Studies Josh Martin Spring 2025 | IPM Issue 48 | pp. 65–73](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-48/appendix-uk-productivity-growth-rates-across-data-vintages-and-studies/) [Opportunities and Risks of Artificial Intelligence for Productivity Francesco Filippucci, Peter Gal, Katharina Laengle, Matthias Schief, Filiz Unsal Spring 2025 | IPM Issue 48 | pp. 1–26](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-48/opportunities-and-risks-of-artificial-intelligence-for-productivity/) [Cracking the Productivity Code: An International Comparison of UK Productivity John Van Reenen, Xuyi Yang Spring 2024 | IPM Issue 46 | pp. 60–82](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-46/cracking-the-productivity-code-an-international-comparison-of-uk-productivity/) [Appendix: EUKLEMS & INTANProd Industry Coverage and Intangible Asset Treatment Filippo Bontadini, Carol Corrado, Jonathan Haskel, Massimiliano Iommi, Cecilia Jona-Lasinio, Tsutomu Miyagawa Spring 2024 | IPM Issue 46 | pp. 1–4](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-46/appendix-euklems-intanprod-industry-coverage-and-intangible-asset-treatment/) [Intangible Capital, TFP Growth and Green Shoots in New Productivity Data Filippo Bontadini, Carol Corrado, Jonathan Haskel, Massimiliano Iommi, Cecilia Jona-Lasinio, Tsutomu Miyagawa Spring 2024 | IPM Issue 46 | pp. 3–37](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-46/intangible-capital-tfp-growth-and-green-shoots-in-new-productivity-data/) ## Abstract ## Résumé EN FR Copy link Email LinkedIn We estimate a measure of well-being efficiency that assesses countries’ ability to transform inputs into subjective well-being (Cantril ladder). We use the six inputs (real GDP per capita, healthy life expectancy, social support, freedom of choice, absence of corruption, and generosity) identified in the World Happiness Reports and apply Data Envelopment Analysis to a sample of 126 countries. Efficiency scores reveal that high ranking subjective well-being countries, such as the Nordic countries, are not strictly the most efficient ones. Also, the scores are uncorrelated with a traditional (total factor) measure of economic efficiency. This suggests that the implicit assumption that economic efficiency promotes wellbeing is not supported. Subjective well-being efficiency can be improved by changing the amount (scale) or composition of inputs and their use (technical efficiency). For instance, countries with lower unemployment, and greater healthy life expectancy and optimism are more efficient. Nous estimons une mesure de l’efficience du bien-être qui évalue la capacité des pays à transformer les intrants en bien-être subjectif (échelle de Cantril). Nous utilisons les six intrants (PIB réel par habitant, espérance de vie en bonne santé, soutien social, liberté de choix, absence de corruption et générosité) identifiés dans les Rapports mondiaux sur le bonheur et appliquons l’analyse par enveloppement des données à un échantillon de 126 pays. Les scores d’efficience révèlent que les pays les mieux classés en matière de bien-être subjectif, comme les pays nordiques, ne sont pas strictement les plus efficients. De plus, les scores ne sont pas corrélés avec une mesure traditionnelle de l’efficience économique (PMF), ce qui suggère que l’hypothèse implicite selon laquelle l’efficience économique favorise le bien-être n’est pas étayée. [Download full PDF](https://csls.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/IPM-Issue-43-2-Sarracino-O_Connor.pdf)