Modeling the Quality of Urban Life using Grey Analytical Hierarchy Process

Abstract

Economic growth has recently been crowded out by life quality in the new development pattern. Unlike the income-based measurement of economic growth, the life quality measure has become a challenge because it is a multi-dimensional concept that relies on the subjective evaluation of the involved stakeholders in a particular context. The objective of this study was to investigate the model of quality of urban life in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam based on subjective indicators. The word clouds and grey analytical hierarchy process were employed to analyze the data from thirty in-depth interviews with experts in the field. The empirical model of quality of urban life in Ho Chi Minh City was found with three levels. The ranking results at the second level emphasized the high shares of health, employment, and income compared to self-esteem, socialization, and family happiness. The ranking results at the second level emphasized the high shares of health, employment, and income compared to self-esteem, socialization, and family happiness. Further investigation at the third level has confirmed the superiority of non-material components in the quality of urban life model in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The findings were critical in implying the policy concentration on non-material values enhancement to raise the quality level of urban life. It was a milestone in switching the focus from material to non-material factors in the life quality model in Vietnam.