Multicriteria analysis of quality of life – the case of Polish voivodeships

Purpose: This paper aims to analyze Polish voivodeships in terms of quality of life (QoL) in 2022 and determine the criteria that can be chosen to check the QoL of Polish citizens. The study shows the usefulness of using the multicriteria decision-making (MCDM) methods to create the final ranking. These kinds of analyses can be crucial for assessing the well-being of residents of given areas. They can serve as guidelines for policymakers on how to shape regional policies. MCDM methods can be seen as valuable tools for such purposes. Design/methodology/approach: A set of nine criteria affecting the quality of life of Polish citizens in 2022 was chosen. The data was obtained from the Statistics Poland database. The ranking was prepared using the Preference Ranking Organization Method for Enrichment of Evaluations II (PROMETHEE II). Criteria weights were determined by Shannon’s entropy method and equal weight method. Findings: The study shows that considering the chosen criteria and their weights determined with Shannon’s entropy method, in 2022, QoL was the highest in the Mazowieckie and Wielkopolskie voivodeships, while the lowest in Lubelskie and Warmińsko-Mazurskie voivodeships. The research results can also lead to the assumption that geographical location significantly impacts the residents' QoL. Research limitations/implications: The main limitation of the study was the selection of appropriate criteria that affect QoL in Poland post-COVID-19 pandemic. The subsequent ranking results are subjective due to the high dependence on criteria. The rank is also sensitive to changes in the weights of individual criteria. Practical implications: The results of the study allow us to demonstrate the diversity of Polish voivodeships in terms of the QoL of Polish citizens. At the same time, the analysis of the criteria allowed for capturing the state of well-being of the population, considering the maximization of some criteria while, at the same time, minimization of others. Social implications: The paper aims to highlight the importance of using MCDM methods and tools to observe the level of quality of life on the NUTS-2 level. Originality/value: The paper shows an up-to-date approach to the problem of the multicriteria assessment of QoL in Poland on a regional level. Keywords: quality of life, multicriteria decision making, PROMETHEE II, entropy. Category of paper: Research paper.