https://doi.org/10.37955/cs.v6i3.278

Received June22, 2021 / Approved October, 04 2022 Pages: 56-61

eISSN: 2600-5743

Rhetoric in the construction of a

system of socioeconomic indicators

Retórica en la construcción de un sistema de indicadores

socioeconómicos

Holger Fabrizzio Bejarano Copo

University of Zulia

Machala, Ecuador

hbejarano@utmachala.edu.ec

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6406-1476

ABSTRACT

Indicators are quantitative data that are the product of procedures established

by the researcher, where results are generated, but they are not findings of the

object; measurement methodologies and techniques acquire greater relevance

than knowledge of reality. The interest in precise measurement is more

attractive to the researcher than the explanation and knowledge of the object.

The construction of indicators has to do mainly with the need to measure

empirically the phenomenon presented, therefore indicators are considered as

the description of the morphological attributes of the object, and also as those

units of measurement for morphological analysis. They do not respond to an

immediate connection with the environment, based on a pre-existing theory,

but also respond to mediations that come to be articulated by a theory that

offers a foundation to the object of study; therefore they are

conceptualizations thought from the object and the articulations that it

presents. In conclusion, indicators are one of the tools that make it possible

to quantify, to verify conditions, to compare different places and situations,

to manage information and also to anticipate future trends and conditions.

Having a list of them will not by itself solve the challenges of regional

development, although they do contribute to its promotion.

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RESUMEN

Los indicadores son datos cuantitativos que son producto de los

procedimientos que establece el investigador, donde se generan resultados,

pero no son hallazgos del objeto; las metodologías y las técnicas de medición

adquieren mayor relevancia que el conocimiento de la realidad. Resulta más

atractivo para el investigador el interés por la medición precisa que la

explicación y conocimiento del objeto. La construcción de los indicadores,

tiene que ver principalmente con la necesidad de medir de forma empírica el

fenómeno que se presenta, por lo tanto a los indicadores se los considera como

la descripción de los atributos morfológicos del objeto, y también como

aquellas unidades de medida para el análisis morfológico, No llega a

responder una conexión inmediata con el entorno, a partir de una teoría

preexistente, sino que también llega a responder a mediaciones que llegan a

ser articuladas por una teoría que ofrezca fundamento al objeto de estudio;

por lo tanto son conceptualizaciones pensadas a partir del objeto y las

articulaciones que este presenta. En conclusión, los indicadores constituyen

una de las herramientas que permiten cuantificar, para verificar condiciones,

comparar distintos lugares y situaciones; administrar información y también

anticipar tendencias y condiciones futuras. Disponer de una lista de ellos no

resolverá por sí solo los desafíos que se presentan en el desarrollo regional,

aunque si contribuyen a la promoción del mismo.

Keywords / Palabras clave

retórica, indicadores, sistema, gestión, desarrollo

rhetoric, indicators, system, management, development

Introduction

The issue of indicators in the social sciences has become a fundamental

problem when generating explanations and knowledge about the

phenomena that occur in society, especially because it seeks to

establish the relationship between the object and the subject, as well

as between the concrete and the abstract, also directed towards the

empirical reconstruction of reality and the theory that must find an

answer in the researcher's thinking (Gutiérrez, 2009).

For this reason, the indicators are not a unique representation of the

morphological expression of the object, i.e. the form in which the

phenomenon is presented, nor can it be said that it is an empirical

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representation of the theory, but it finds its basis in the operation of

the concepts or in the definition of the categories, dimensions or

variables. The research problem may be more complex because it

refers to the very structure of the object of study as a concrete totality.

Thus, since there is no truth to be considered absolute, rhetoric is used,

but from the scientific point of view, since its purpose is to find the

truth and not to convince people about a truth that has not yet been

proven. But convincing is not all bad either, because in the research

process, it is also necessary to convince, for which rhetorical elements

are used so that the proposals come to be considered acceptable and

also convincing. For Pérez and Vélez (2011), rhetoric is like language,

the best and the worst of things; in itself it is neither good nor bad and

depends only on the use made of it.

As a basis for research, it is also important to take into account the

paradigm, which becomes a set of propositions, norms and rules of

research that come to be shared by a scientific community at a specific

time. This analytical framework can be configured through a series of

heuristic axioms, which can even be established as fundamental

principles, on which various auxiliary hypotheses can be developed

and tested. The paradigm becomes the basis of any scientific research

by influencing its main characteristics, its object, hypothesis or

method. For Cárdenas (2015), the validity and valuation of paradigms

depend both on their explanatory capacity and their contrast with the

observed reality, especially in the analysis of outstanding facts, as well

as on those sociological factors that exist at the time of evaluation.

Materials and Methods

The indicators are quantitative data that are the product of the

procedures established by the researcher, where results are generated,

but it is important to mention that these results are the research

achieved by the person, and that they are exposed to the analytical

criteria of others, but are not findings of the object; the methodologies

and measurement techniques acquire greater relevance than the

knowledge of reality. The interest in precise measurement is more

attractive to the researcher than the explanation and knowledge of the

object.

The relationship between the subject and the object can be presented

as a relationship based on comfort, as long as the existence of the

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object, the theory that allows this explanation and the methodological

strategies to carry out the research are maintained. From the

application of formulas and previously determined routes, knowledge

can be predictable and therefore only its confirmation is required.

In this way, the construction of indicators is mainly related to the need

to measure empirically the phenomenon presented, therefore

indicators are considered as the description of the morphological

attributes of the object, and also as those units of measurement for

morphological analysis, based on experimental methodologies.

In this sense, Rhetoric becomes a means by which philosophy tries to

analyze the way in which a theoretical discourse is understood amidst

the sense of exhortation and manipulation. Therefore, it comprises a

systematic set of universal knowledge that from a theoretical-practical

approach exceeds the level of only experience (González, Ruíz, &

Rodríguez, 2016). The construction of indicators does not come to

respond to an immediate connection with the environment, based on

a pre-existing theory, but also comes to respond to mediations that

come to be articulated by a theory that offers foundation to the object

of study; therefore they are conceptualizations thought from the object

and the articulations it presents. In perspective, it is a matter of

locating the different facets of the research and the way in which it is

presented, analyzing it from different angles allows a better

identification of the observed phenomenon.

Results

In recent years, Ecuador has witnessed a growing form of

administration of local authorities, under this context, the

autonomous governments have acquired a new role in terms of their

management capacity, and have had to face a growing need for reliable

data with different levels of disaggregation, which contributes to the

expansion of the understanding of local problems from different

perspectives. The availability of this data is not a simple process, but

rather a complex one, since it entails the recognition of the specificities

of the local level, based on the recognition of different dimensions of

analysis, such as economic or social.

It also requires the identification of the actors and institutions

involved and linked to these issues, as they are users or generators of

the information. The results of the indicators become the final product,

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which should be useful for decision-making by the different local

stakeholders, and not simply respond to the needs of certain

government agencies (López & Gentile, 2008).

The latent need to achieve full participation of society in local

development, as well as the use and dissemination of the population's

knowledge, experience, culture and customs, which can be presented

as a counterpoint to professional, scientistic approaches that are

unattainable for the local population. From the participatory approach

of the population, it is possible to reach consensus, define priorities,

plan activities, analyze the consequences of the actions and finally the

evaluation of such actions. In this context, the design and definition of

indicators is related to who identifies them and on what basis: experts

based on scientific knowledge or the different local actors based on

their daily experience and practical knowledge.

In both cases, the analysis is based on different visions, while the

external vision is related to the national level and its influence on the

local level, and is also related to the sustainability of development, on

the other hand, the internal vision is in accordance with the paradigm

of participation, which means that the local communities are

responsible for defining the most appropriate indicators to measure it.

Conclusions

Once the economic and social dimensions have been defined as part of

the concept that contributes to development, a drawback may arise,

which results in the difficulty of making them operational, measurable

or relatively tangible. In this sense, indicators are one of the tools to

quantify them, to verify conditions, to compare different places and

situations, to manage information and also to anticipate future trends

and conditions. Indicators are instruments to achieve ambitious

objectives, therefore, having a list of them will not by itself solve the

challenges of regional development, although they do contribute to its

promotion.

Received May 21, 2021 / Approved October, 30 2022 Pages: 56-61

eISSN: 2600-5743

Centro Sur Vol. 7 No. 1- January - March

References

Cárdenas, L. (2015). The epistemology of structural economic analysis.

Moebio Tape(54), 218-239. Retrieved from

http://www.redalyc.org/pdf/101/10143105001.pdf

González, O., Ruíz, J., & Rodríguez, G. (2016). Rhetoric in the concept

of welfare in public policy in Mexico (2016): de facto sense of

freedom and happiness. Universidad Veracruzana (UV).

Gutiérrez, D. (2009). The construction of indicators as an

epistemological problem. Moebio Tape(34), 16-36. Retrieved

from

http://www.facso.uchile.cl/publicaciones/moebio/34/gutierrez.

pdf

López, M., & Gentile, N. (2008). System of economic and social

indicators: the importance of integrated analysis. CENTER FOR

RESEARCH, FOLLOW-UP AND MONITORING OF

DEVELOPMENT.

Pérez, M., & Vélez, Y. (2011). Influence of rhetoricin the construction

of scientific discourse in undergraduate research papers.

Electronic Journal of Humanities, Education and Social

Communication, 12(7), 13-31.