Toward a comprehensive measure of socio-cultural diversity: the case of Germany

Abstract

The positive impact of socio-cultural diversity on innovation and economic prosperity has been widely discussed. Yet, there is a lack of a clear quantitative indicator of socio-cultural diversity. Most empirical works are limited to small case studies that follow various methods. This gap in the literature calls for a comprehensive measure whereby researchers could assess and compare diversity across cities and regions at the national level. Building on a unique database of registered associations (in German: eingetragene Vereine), this study provides a hierarchical categorization of associations based on their field of activities. Applying the Shannon entropy index, the socio-cultural diversity of German regions is measured. The findings indicate a disparity between East and West Germany, reflecting the path-dependent nature of historical events. This article sets an agenda for future research.

Die soziokulturelle Diversität wirkt sich positiv auf Innovation und wirtschaftlichen Wohlstand aus. Es fehlt jedoch ein klarer quantitativer Indikator für die soziokulturelle Diversität. Anhand eines Datensatzes der eingetragenen Vereine verwendet diese Studie den Shannon-Entropie-Index, um die soziokulturelle Diversität deutscher Regionen zu messen.