Measuring Levels Of Community Well-Being In Korean Local Authorities: Application Of Decision Tree Analysis

Abstract

The aim of this study was to ascertain the levels of well-being that local residents experience in different types of community in Korea. To this end, the study divided Korean communities into three types – metropolitan communities, small and medium-sized city communities, and rural communities – and attempted to analyse the factors affecting the happiness of residents in each type. For this purpose, decision tree analysis was applied. As a result of the analysis, the 69 metropolitan communities were all divided into five nodes, and it was found that the biggest factor influencing the happiness of residents in these communities was social capital. The 99 small and medium-sized city communities were all classified into nine nodes, and it was found that in these communities environmental capital had the greatest influence on residents’ happiness. The 82 rural communities were all classified into eleven nodes, and here it was found that human capital had the greatest influence. Taken together, these findings indicate that each individual community needs to establish a policy reflecting the characteristics of the nodes to which it belongs.