Abstract
Paper aims
This paper presents the methodological development of a sustainability indicator focused on the local level, based on the Municipal Human Development Index (MHDI).
Originality
The proposed indicator (MHDI+S) was built on the use of an indicator with simple methodology based on information provided by reliable Brazilian research institutes, making it easier to be updated and reproduced in other regions and states.
Research method
By adding the environmental factor to this well-known index, the proposed indicator (MHDI+S) is then applied to the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, so that the municipalities have been categorized into different clusters.
Main findings
The results of this categorization were validated by statistical assessment (cluster analysis) showing that the groups have internal homogeneity and external heterogeneity.
Implications for theory and practice
The proposed indicator (MHDI+S) can assist public management at the local level, decentralizing the well-established federal perspective,
Keywords
Indicator; Sustainability; Municipal management; Cluster analysis