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Erschienen in: Social Indicators Research 2/2015

01.01.2015

Regional Factors Affecting the Satisfaction of Residents: Evidence from a Structural Equation Model in Japan

verfasst von: Yoji Kunimitsu

Erschienen in: Social Indicators Research | Ausgabe 2/2015

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Abstract

To sustain rural areas in Japan, policymakers pay attention to improvement of residents’ satisfaction. The present study empirically shows the causative factors for the personal and regional level of residents’ satisfaction in their daily lives. The ordered probit model was employed to explain personal factors and to quantify regional differences in the average satisfaction level. Regional differences were then regressed with the regional factors by using a structural equation model. Estimations demonstrated the following results. First, different from previous studies (Tsutsui, 2010), significant differences in regional satisfaction level were measured. Second, these regional differences were influenced by the economic revitalization, represented by job opportunities and average gross regional production; social capital, shown by the level of trust, altruistic norms and human networks; public facilities for basic human needs; and the town’s reputation perceived by the person outside. Social capital and reputation from outside had the strong impact on the regional satisfaction level. Third, social capital was low at a town where economic revitalization level was high, showing a tradeoff effect, whereas the construction of public facilities advanced in the town where the revitalization level was high. These tradeoff and supplemental effects can be explained by urbanization as substantial variable.

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Fußnoten
1
Degree of happiness or satisfaction does not depend on a chronological change in the per capita income, but cross-sectional differences in happiness or satisfaction changes with a difference in relative income (Easterlin 1995). This is well known as “the paradox of happiness”. The reason of this paradox has been explained by other related factors that reversely change with income (Diener and Seligman 2004) or by the hedonic tread mill effect in which people raise their reference point for happiness as income increases (Graham and Pettinato 2002).
 
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Metadaten
Titel
Regional Factors Affecting the Satisfaction of Residents: Evidence from a Structural Equation Model in Japan
verfasst von
Yoji Kunimitsu
Publikationsdatum
01.01.2015
Verlag
Springer Netherlands
Erschienen in
Social Indicators Research / Ausgabe 2/2015
Print ISSN: 0303-8300
Elektronische ISSN: 1573-0921
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-014-0600-3

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