text: wide gap between the statistical requirements demanded by the advo­ cates of social indicators and those met by the producers of statistical data in developing countries. The gap can only be filled by mutual understanding and collaborative efforts on both sides. Applications of social indicators 42. Given that the statistical contents of social indicators are availa­ ble, statistical series can be employed for analytical purposes in a number of ways. One approach in the application of social indicators is to mea­ sure the national or regional level of living or well-being by aggregating the indicators. Another use is for improvising development models relat­ ing social indicators. Since these applications are more or less prototypes with varying emphasis and with different degrees of general acceptance, the following discussion will centre around the issues addressed, pro­ posed approaches and methods, and unresolved problems of these ap­ plications. 1. Measuring the level of well-being 43. The interest among concerned scholars in deriving an aggregate measure of well-being from social indicators is a logical one. Social indicators, however they may be defined, are supposed to show progress towards a good quality of life and improved general welfare. Tens of (or sometimes more than a hundred) indicators do not necessarily change in the same direction, better or worse, over time. Unless indicators are aggregated to show the general level of welfare, preferably as one figure or a set of a few meaningful aggregate indicators, social indicators will 31 Edgar S. Dunn, Jr., Social Information Processing and Statistical Systems: Change and Reform (New York, John Wiley and Sons, 1974), p. 13. 47 not have much of an appeal to planners, policy-makers and the general public. 44. The effort to derive an aggregate measure of well-being requires sensible solutions to two unresolved problems in social sciences; namely, 
analysis: The text discusses the concept of social indicators, their application, and the challenges of aggregating them to measure the level of well-being. It seems to focus on the social and economic aspects of development, rather than environmental or natural resource-related issues. The language used is formal and academic, suggesting a theoretical or research-oriented approach.