PROJECT ON

DATA ANALYTICS AND USE OF I.C.T IN

GOVERNMENT

BIPIN DAS(IDAS)
K. HARIPREETI (IDAS)
AMULYA.B.RAJ (IRAS)
SANDEEP BHAGIA (IDAS)
 SIRIVENNELA (IDAS)

WORLD HAPPINESS REPORT 2017

The World Happiness Report is an annual publication of United Nations
Sustainable Development Solutions Network that contains rankings of national happiness and
analysis of data from various perspectives. The report assesses happiness on various parameters
such as per capita GDP, social support, perception of corruption, freedom to make life choices,
generosity etc.

With the data analytics software Tableau, using the World Happiness Report 2017
data we intend to achieve the following objectives:-

 Find out which parameter is most important in influencing happiness

 Ascertain whether economics plays a major role in happiness or not
 Ascertain the inter-relationships between various parameters
 Find out whether there are any regional clusters of happiness index
 Explaining the Dataset

The Dataset contains 3 files. The first one contains raw data which has been processed
to create the second file. For the purposes of this assignment, second file has been
used whose data is explaines asunder:

The dataset is made up of following major variables:-

1) Country

2) Happiness Score – This is average of Data Variable 3 and Data Variable 4

3) Whisker High

4) Whisker Low

5) Explained by: GDP per capita - This parameter is a combination of sub-parameters

present in raw data (data file number 1) that can be linked to GDP. It shows the
contribution of GDP per capita to the Happiness Score.

6) Explained by: Social Support- This parameter is a combination of sub-parameters

present in raw data (data file number 1) that can be linked to Social Support. It shows
the contribution of Social Support to the Happiness Score.

7) Explained by: Healthy Life Expectancy- This parameter is a combination of sub-

parameters present in raw data (data file number 1)

that can be linked to Healthy Life Expectancy. It shows the contribution of Healthy Life
Expectancy to the Happiness Score.

8) Explained by: Freedom to make life choices- This parameter is a combination of sub-
parameters present in raw data (data file number 1) that can be linked to Freedom to
make life choices. It shows the contribution of Freedom to make life choices to the
Happiness Score.

9) Explained by: Generosity- This parameter is a combination of sub-parameters

present in raw data (data file number 1) that can be linked to Generosity. It shows the
contribution of Generosity to the Happiness Score.
10) Explained by: Perceptions of corruption- This parameter is a combination of sub-
parameters present in raw data (data file number 1) that can be linked to Perceptions of
corruption. It shows the contribution of Perceptions of corruption to the Happiness
Score.

11) Explained by: Residual- This data variable is not used for analysis for the purposes
of this assignment.

These data variables will be called as Variable 1 to Variable 10. Example- “Explained
by: Residual” will be called Variable 10.
 Objective 1: To find out which parameter is most important in
determining happiness score
This objective was achieved by determining the Regression Equation that determines relation
between variable 2 and other variables 5-10.

This means that Happiness Score is mostly dependent not upon GDP per capita but more so on
Freedom to make life choices, followed by Healthy Life expectancy.

This is in line with the view of Dr Amartya Sen wherein he emphasizes upon increasing Life
Choices to increase Happiness. He also exhorts towards increased public investments in Health
and Education. We can assume that Education is contained in “Social Support”.

Hence, Happiness score has less to do with GDP per capita but with the kind of life (healthy,
educated and full of freedom) people can lead in a country.

This insight can be of immense use to the Government of MP which has set its eyes upon
measuring Happiness of its residents.
The associated scatter-plots and regression lines are shown asunder:

1) Happiness – GDP per Capita

2) Happiness- Social Support
3) Happiness- Healthy Life Expectancy
4) Happiness- Freedom to make life choices
5) Happiness- Generosity
6) Happiness- Perceptions of corruption
Objective 2: Ascertain whether economics plays a major role in
happiness or not
As explained above, it is not the GDP per capita that affects Happiness Score as much
as Social Support or Freedom to make life choices or Health do.

But the term ‘economics’, if interpreted in a wider sense would certainly have a major
impact on Happiness Score. With the insights coming out of the previous regression, we can
easily say that if higher percentage of GDP is invested in social services like Health and
Education, population can lead a happy life.

It must also be noted that while state led investment is increased in Social services, the
state should not become socialist, for in that model, as has been historically observed, citizens
have limited Freedom to make life choices.

The economic model followed in India pre 1991, wherein various sectors of the economy
were heavily regulated, caused limitations upon Freedom available with citizens, thus reducing
India’s score on Happiness Index.

In a patriarchial, caste ridden society such as India, there is also a need for Gender-
disaggregated and Caste-disaggregated data for variables 5-10. This is what was sought to be
achieved by Socio-economic and Caste Census, which needs to be carried out in full earnest
after the challenges that came up in 1st such census are tackled with.
Objective 3: Ascertain the inter-relationships between various
parameters
The parameters that have been used in the processed data that is variables 5-
varibale 10 have been used here and their inter-relationships have been sought to be
identified by Regression analysis.

a) Relation between GDP per capita and other parameters

 a.1) Relation between GDP per capita and Social Support

As expected, GDP per capita shows direct correspondence to Social support

present in the society. Social support may be more useful for population at the bottom of
the pyramid. But to make any such inference more data is required.
 a.2) Relation between GDP per capita and Healthy Life Expectancy

it is evident that a healthy population can contribute more to GDP, raising the
GDP per capita. Better health not only increases the number of workers in a country but
also their productivity.
 a.3) Relation between GDP per capita and Freedom to make Life choices

There is a slight negative correlation between GDP per capita and Freedom to
make life choices. This probably means that GDP per capita can be increased even is
cases of Low Freedom. India has seen an increase in GDP per capita while the
situation of women and lower castes hasnt improved much.
a.4) Relation between GDP per capita and Generosity
 This again shows a negative correlation,meaning that a society has to be less
generous to increase GDP per capita. This is counter intuitive but it may be pointing out
to a harsh reality of today’s world that as societies become economically powerful,
personal relations among people may actually degrade.
 a.5) Relation between GDP per capita and Perceptions of corruption

The slight positive correlation means that even though large amount of corruption
may be antithetical to GDP growth, even economically strong countries see high levels
of corruption.
b) Relation between Social Support and other parameters

b.1) Relation between Social Support and GDP per capita

There is a positive correlation between social support and GDP. A conducive

social support mechanism can transalate to economic gains. For instance , in India lack
of social support due to stringent caste hierarchies led to hinderence in social and
economic mobility and hence adversely affected GDP especially in pre 1990 period.

b.2) Relation between Social Support and Healthy Life Expectancy

There is a slight positive relation between Social Support and Healthy Life
Expectancy.As seen earlier GDP and Helathy Life Expectancy has a more positive
relation.
 b.3) Relation between Social Support and Freedom to make Life choices

As expected there is a positive correlation between social support and Freedom

to Make Life Choices.This is evident in the life choices that children,men,women and
transgenders make in their lives.Social support plays a very vital role in choices of
occupation , marriage etc. For instance Women Labour Force Participation in general
and Post pregnancy work force participation is seen to be heavily dependent on
societal and familial support and cooperation.
 b.4) Relation between Social Support and Generosity

There is very little correlation between the two.However it is important to note

that social support and generosity have a positive correlation .Generosity and kindness
tend to spread in a favourable social ecosystem of trust and positive support.
 b.5) Relation between Social Support and Perceptions of corruption

There is a negative relation between social support and perception of

corruption.Clearly perception of corruption is more to do with the transparency and
accountability in the system rather than just social support.

c) Relation between Healthy Life Expectancy and other parameters

 c.1) Relation between Healthy Life Expectancy and GDP per capita

There is a positive correlation between the two parameters. Clearly higher GDP
is expected to transalate to higher expenditure on Health.For instance, US spends 8.3%
of its GDP on Health ; India with almost one-tenth of the GDP spends only 1.3% of its
Gdp on Health.
 c.2) Relation between Healthy Life Expectancy and Social Support

There is slight positive relation between Health Life Expectancy and Social
support.Social support can play an important role in women health.For instance in
family planning and post pregnancy care.
 c.3) Relation between Healthy Life Expectancy and Freedom to make life
choices

There is a slight positive relation between the two parameters.Freedom to make

life choices for instance in family planning would help in improving the health of women.
 c.4) Relation between Healthy Life Expectancy and Generosity

There is a positive relation between Healthy Life Expectancy and Generosity.As

expected,generosity would aid in greater care for the loved ones. This would help in
improving the mental and physical health of the people.This leads to a positive
externality towards healthy mind and healthy body.
 c.5) Relation between Healthy Life Expectancy and Perceptions of
corruption

As expected there is not much of a correlation between Health Life Expectancy

and perception of corruption.
d) Relation between Freedom to Make Life choices and other parameters

d.1) Relation between Freedom to Make Life choices and GDP per capita

These two parameters seem to be almost independent to each other tending to a

slight negative interrelation. A high GDP country like China has shown little concern
towards Freedom to Make Life Choices through stringent controls ,ex: One Child Policy.
 d.2) Relation between Freedom to Make Life choices and Social Support

As expected there is a positive correlation between freedom and social support.

For instance social support has led to acceptance of same sex marriage in countries
like Denmark,Norway etc. which score high in the Happiness Index.
 d.3) Relation between Freedom to Make Life choices and Healthy Life
Expectancy
 d.4) Relation between Freedom to Make Life choices and Generosity

There is a positive relation between Freedom to Make Choices and

Generosity.Generosity helps in acceptance of diversity and differences which forms the
foundation of freedom.
 d.5) Relation between Freedom to Make Life choices and Perceptions of
corruption

There is a positive relation between Freedom to Make Choices and Perception of

Corruption. Corruption tends to reduce in an open system. For instance, “Referential
social mobility” , nepotism etc curbs the freedom to make choices and hence also
amounts to increase in corruption.
e) Relation between Generosity and other parameters

e.1) Relation between Generosity and GDP per capita

There is a negative correlation between Generosity and GDP per capita.Thus we

see that the social capital of developed countries is not very high. Generosity , kindness
and social connect is low -one reason why radicalisation and violence is on a rise in
developed countries.

e.2) Relation between Generosity and Social Support

There is a positive relation between generosity and social support.Generosity

can be viewed as one of the components of social support.
 e.3) Relation between Generosity and Healthy life expectancy

As expected there is a positive correlation between the two. Generosity amounts

to love,care which is very important especially at oldage which transalates to better
health and life expectancy.
 e.4) Relation between Generosity and Freedom to make life choices

There is clearly a positive relation between the two. Freedom is possible when
there is Generosity and vice versa.
e.5) Relation between Generosity and Perceptions of corruption

There is positive relation between the two parameters.

Objective 4: Find out whether there are any regional clusters of
happiness index

The countries shown here experience a score between 3.5 to 4.5 on happiness
index. Such countries are clustered mostly in interior Africa and India among some
other countries. The reasons behind poor performance on the index may include weak
governance, high corruption, unstable polity, internal security challenges, poor
expenditure on health and education among other factors.
 The entire American continent, Australia and Western Europe experience high
levels of Happiness. In North America and Western Europe as also in Australia, the
same can be explained by success of Laissez Faire model of growth. However in South
America and Mexico, Happiness can be explained by success of socialistic policies of
Governments there. Hence, it is not Capitalism or Socialism that wins but the quality
and intent of Government that matters for Happiness.
Conclusion
From the regression analysis performed using Knime and various other techniques of
data analysis through Tableau, it is evident that a country’s score on Happiness Index is
a composite of not just economic factors but the quality of life that citizens enjoy. It
entails that governments of the day must spend more on health and education.

The regression analysis clearly shows that Freedom to make life choices, social support
and Healthy Life Expectancy contribute more to Happiness. Trends of radicalisation,
xenophobia, poor social capital etc. show that developed countries are unable to
provide holistic happiness to its citizenry.

Further for historic, economic and political reasons high score on happiness index is
concentrated in a few geographies like Western Europe, American Continent and
Australia. This needs to be changed by a fair and rules based trade order where every
country trades according to its strengths. China, South Korea, Singapore among other
countries have benefited by this system. Increasing Protectionism seems to be creating
a challenge in this regard.