Community wealth ranking and household surveys: an integrative approach

This article contributes to the integration of qualitative and quantitative methods of analysis. A conceptual framework systematically analysing the effects of visibility of resources and measurement errors in wealth ranking and household survey data is presented. Visibility of resources influences both the process of wealth ranking and the social value of the resources, specifically their symbolic importance. The conceptual framework is empirically examined using data from four East African countries: Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania and Uganda. The empirical results support the framework and help to more carefully interpret results and understand social values of resources in different communities.