5 Vital Indices Visionaries Should Pay Attention to

July 31, 2023
/ By

Indices give you the opportunity to turn qualitative data into quantitative analysis. While there are many different measures you could track, some key indices can give you an accurate picture of how to execute on your vision. In this article, we'll look at five important indices that you should be monitoring regularly.

1. Global Innovation Index (GII)

The GII is an index published by WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organisation) consisting of an annual ranking of countries' innovation capabilities and results. It assesses innovative thinking and creativity in a variety of categories, including human resources, research and development, infrastructure, market sophistication, and business expertise. This enables a more detailed and comprehensive knowledge of a country's inventiveness environment.

The GII includes many nations from various areas and economic levels, allowing for a global comparison of innovation success. This can be beneficial in relation to assessing and learning best practices. It is a joint endeavor between multiple institutions, including INSEAD, Portulans Institute and The American University in Cairo, school of business. This collaboration serves as a validation that the index is founded on solid methods and data.

Read report: Global Innovation Index

2. Doing Business Index

The World Bank's Doing Business Index is a yearly report that rates the ease of doing business in 190 nations around the globe.The index evaluates various aspects of the business regulatory environment, such as starting a business, dealing with construction permits, obtaining electricity, registering property, obtaining credit, protecting minority investors, paying taxes, trading across borders, enforcing contracts, and resolving insolvency.

The index is founded on objective standards and methodology, so rankings are not affected by subjective variables such as political or fiscal concerns. It offers a transparent and accountable method for evaluating business ease, enabling the legislature, companies, and people to hold governments accountable for their regulatory environment.

Read report: Ease of Doing Business

3. Human Development Index (HDI) 

The Human Development Index (HDI) is a composite indicator that assesses a country's overall degree of human advancement. It was created in 1990 by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as a means of measuring success in human development beyond economic growth. The HDI is computed using three aspects of human development: health (life expectancy at birth), education (mean years of schooling), and quality of living. (Measured by gross national income per capita).

The HDI is intended to be a comprehensive measure of human development that accounts for gender, race, and other variables that can influence people's chances and well-being. It approaches human development holistically, acknowledging that success in one area can be hampered by deficiencies in another. This can assist lawmakers in identifying areas that require tailored interventions. The HDI can assist lawmakers in prioritizing human development expenditures by highlighting areas where progress is lagging, or inequalities are especially evident. It can also be used to monitor growth over time.

Read report: Human Development Index

4. World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Index (GCI)

The WEF Global Competitiveness Index is an annual report that evaluates 141 economies' competitiveness based on 103 indicators divided into 12 categories, including institutions, infrastructure, macroeconomic environment, health and primary education, colleges and universities and educational opportunities, goods market efficiency, labour market efficiency, financial market development, technological readiness, market size, business sophistication, and innovation. The Global CompetitivenessIndex (GCI) is intended to provide a complete paradigm for understanding the variables that drive economic development and efficiency, as well as for comparing competitiveness across nations and over time.

The GCI views competitiveness in the long term, realizing that long-term economic progress and development necessitate investment in critical areas such as education, innovation, and infrastructure. This emphasis on long-term competitiveness can assist governments in prioritizing investments and changes that will have long-term effects on economic development.

Read report: Global Competitiveness Index

5. Corruption Perception Index (CPI) 

Transparency International's Corruption PerceptionsIndex (CPI) has been released yearly since 1995, and it ranks nations and territories based on how corrupt their public sector is viewed to be. The index ranks nations on a range of 0 (highly corrupt) to 100 (very pure) using data from a variety of sources, including surveys of businessmen and corruption specialists. The CPI supports openness by raising public knowledge of the extent of wrongdoing in various nations. This can help to increase pressure on governments to handle corruption, as well as improve public and corporate awareness of corruption risks.

The index compares corruption levels across nations, enabling policymakers and companies to compare their performance to that of their counterparts. This can assist in identifying places for growth and learning from best practices. It helps to generate momentum for anti-corruption initiatives and foster a common grasp of the importance of fighting corruption. The CPI can help to support sustainable development by encouraging openness and responsibility and ensuring that resources are used efficiently and effectively.
Read report: Corruption Perceptions Index 

Understanding these indices is critical for any visionary or investor seeking to make cognizant decisions. You can obtain abetter grasp of market patterns and possible investment possibilities by frequently monitoring these indices. However, keep in mind that indices are only one tool in a broader array of study and analysis, and that they should be used in combination with other sources of information to make well-informed choices.

If you need help in building an index or would like to know how to improve on it, get in touch.

Other Insights

Where are the Women? Explaining the VC gender gap

Where are the Women? Explaining the VC gender gap

Read full article >
Debunking 3 Common Misconceptions About Indices: The Truth Will Set You Free

Debunking 3 Common Misconceptions About Indices: The Truth Will Set You Free

Read full article >
How to Select Key Indicators for Foreign Investment Decision-making

How to Select Key Indicators for Foreign Investment Decision-making

Read full article >
The Secret to Effective Policy & Governance: Implementing Index-based Strategies

The Secret to Effective Policy & Governance: Implementing Index-based Strategies

Read full article >
6 Steps to Building your Index

6 Steps to Building your Index

Read full article >
5 Ways to use index results

5 Ways to use index results

Read full article >
Contact us

How can we help you?