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One of the main preoccupations of international organizations since the middle of the 20th century has been the economic & social development of the poorer countries. There has been an implicit assumption that the knowledge & productive techniques of the developed countries could help raise levels of living in the poorer countries. This assumption is now being questioned, as recent reviews have revealed spotty & uneven growth. Contemporary interest has been on the objective of unified or integrated development. Aid given with development research teams or centers in developing countries may have an increasing role in the future of international & bilateral assistance. Comparative cross-national research may have strong prospects for the future. Examples of kinds of international research that go beyond the review & assessment of existing research findings on a particular subject include: (1) compilation, evaluation, & analysis of international statistics; (2) the organization of international surveys; & (3) filling in gaps in knowledge where necessary for international policy. 2 rules observed in published international research are: (A) individual countries are not singled out for criticism, nor praise; & (B) a particular political or ideological position is not endorsed in the research. A unified conceptual framework should be provided which will meaningfully interrelate economic & social aspects, equity, & growth. R. Lent.

A project at the UN Res Instit for Soc Development on 'Contents and Measurement of Socio-Economic Development' has involved extensive examination of econ & soc indicators (using 1960 data) & selection of a group of priority indicators on an empirical basis (but within the framework of generally accepted components of development). These indicators have been interrelated by a method of analysis called 'correspondence analysis.' This type of analysis provides the basis for plotting development profiles of individual countries, against a norm that changes with level of development; also for typological analysis, showing how development differs for diff kinds kinds of countries. The correspondence system, plus scale transformations, further provide a means of constructing a general or synthetic indicator of development, which, among other things, serves to predict missing scores better than does the per capita GNP, including scores on econ as well as soc variables. HA.

A project at the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development on "Contents and Measurement of Socio-Economic Development" has involved extensive examination of economic and social indicators (using 1960 data) and selection of a group of priority indicators on an empirical basis (but within the framework of generally accepted components of development). These indicators have been interrelated by a method of analysis called "correspondence analysis." This type of analysis provides the basis for plotting development profiles of individual countries, against a norm that changes with level of development; also for typological analysis, showing how development differs for different kinds of country. The correspondence system, plus scale transformations, further provides a means of constructing a general or synthetic indicator of development, which, among other things, serves to predict missing scores better than does the per capita G.N.P., including scores on economic as well as social variables.