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An Approach to Measuring Perceived Quality of Life in the City Through a Formative Multidimensional Perspective

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Entrepreneurial and Innovative Practices in Public Institutions

Part of the book series: Applying Quality of Life Research ((BEPR))

Abstract

Cities compete to attract multinational companies, more tourism flows and to improve the quality of life of citizens. From a public service orientation, perceived quality of life should become a strategic input. In the last decades, scientists offered several alternative approaches to defining and measuring quality of life: social indicators, subjective measures and economic indices all with their strengths and weaknesses. This chapter conceptualizes and operationalizes perceived quality of life in the city from the perspective of its residents, proposing and validating a new measure with six dimensions through a formative index. The conceptual model and the hypotheses are tested using Partial Least Squares approach to Structural Equation Models based on 200 personal interviews to Italian residents from Latina. The results corroborate that residents’ perceived quality of life can be measured with a formative construct with six dimensions: perceived standard of living, quality of health care, educational services, perception of safety, infrastructure and environment. All dimensions are decisive in the city perceived quality of life formation. The key benefit derived from this framework is that it provides a more robust model for understanding the dynamics of this variable. The paper concludes by considering the implications for academics and authorities responsible for the strategic management of cities committed with a public service orientation.

This research has received funding from the European Union, project No IB/1.3/561 Newcimed: New Cities of the Mediterranean Sea Basin. The EU is not responsible for the contents contained herein.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    According to the latest census of the Italian Statistical Institute (2011).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Economics, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain

    Walesska Schlesinger & Amparo Cervera Taulet

  2. Department of Management and Economics, University of Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal

    Helena Alves

  3. Department of Management and Business Economics, University of Leon, Leon, Spain

    José Luis Vázquez Burguete

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  1. Walesska Schlesinger
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  2. Amparo Cervera Taulet
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  3. Helena Alves
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  4. José Luis Vázquez Burguete
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Correspondence to Walesska Schlesinger .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Management and Economics, University of Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal

    João Leitão

  2. Department of Management and Economics, University of Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal

    Helena Alves

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Schlesinger, W., Taulet, A.C., Alves, H., Burguete, J.L.V. (2016). An Approach to Measuring Perceived Quality of Life in the City Through a Formative Multidimensional Perspective. In: Leitão, J., Alves, H. (eds) Entrepreneurial and Innovative Practices in Public Institutions. Applying Quality of Life Research. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-32091-5_4

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