---
license: cc
language:
- en
tags:
- social_science
pretty_name: BTI Index
---
# Transformation Index (BTI) Dataset — ARAC International

## Overview
This repository hosts curated datasets from the **Bertelsmann Stiftung Transformation Index (BTI)** covering the period **2006–2024**. The BTI is a global benchmark study that evaluates political, economic, and governance transformations in **137 countries**. It is unique in combining qualitative, expert-based country assessments with standardized quantitative scoring, producing two composite indices:  
- **Status Index** – measures political and economic transformation.  
- **Governance Index** – measures the quality of political leadership and governance performance.  

The dataset is available in multiple formats for user flexibility:
- **CSV** – tabular, human-readable format.  
- **DTA** – for direct use in **Stata** statistical software.  
- **Parquet** – optimized for **efficient querying and web-based applications**.  

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## About the BTI
The **BTI** is published biennially by the **Bertelsmann Stiftung**, Germany. It is designed to answer a core question:  

> How successfully are countries steering social change toward democracy under the rule of law and a market economy anchored in social justice?  

Unlike indices that focus narrowly on electoral processes, the BTI adopts a **broad concept of democracy**, incorporating **rule of law, separation of powers, civil liberties, and state capacity**. Similarly, its economic transformation framework includes **competition, private property rights, fiscal stability, welfare regimes, and sustainability**. Governance is assessed in terms of **steering capacity, consensus-building, resource efficiency, and international cooperation**.

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## Methodology
The BTI methodology combines **qualitative expert surveys** with a multi-stage **review and calibration process**:

1. **Country Expert Assessments** – Independent scholars produce detailed country reports following a standardized codebook of **17 criteria and 49 indicators**.  
2. **Peer Review** – A second country expert reviews the assessment, adding an external perspective.  
3. **Regional & Interregional Calibration** – Regional coordinators and the BTI team adjust scores to ensure comparability across regions.  
4. **Final Review** – The BTI Board conducts a global review to validate consistency.  

The BTI thus generates **7,124 individual scores** per edition, which are then aggregated into the **Status Index** (political + economic transformation) and the **Governance Index** (leadership performance).

### Structure of Measurement
- **Political Transformation (5 criteria / 18 indicators):** stateness, political participation, rule of law, stability of democratic institutions, political and social integration.  
- **Economic Transformation (7 criteria / 14 indicators):** socioeconomic development, market organization, monetary stability, private property, welfare regime, economic performance, sustainability.  
- **Governance (5 criteria / 20 indicators):** steering capacity, resource efficiency, consensus-building, international cooperation, level of difficulty.  

More details are available in the [BTI 2024 Methodology Document](./BTI2024_Methodology.pdf).

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## Purpose of This Repository
The datasets here are intended to support:
- **Research & Analysis** – Political science, economics, governance, and development studies.  
- **Custom Data Curation** – Users can filter, subset, and export the data they need.  
- **Application Development** – The included **Parquet file** powers an interactive HTML application (to be published separately) that allows users to:
  - Query BTI indicators dynamically.  
  - Visualize transformations across regions and time.  
  - Export custom subsets into **CSV format** for further research or integration into other workflows.  

This approach supports **flexible, user-driven exploration** while maintaining methodological rigor.

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## File Contents
- `2024-2006_bti_data.csv` – Full dataset in CSV format.  
- `2024-2006_bti_data.dta` – Stata-formatted dataset.  
- `2024-2006_bti_data.parquet` – Optimized Parquet dataset for efficient querying.  
- `BTI2024_Codebook.pdf` – Full definitions of indicators and scoring rules.  
- `BTI2024_Methodology.pdf` – Detailed methodology of the BTI process.  
- `Relevant_info.pdf` – Supplementary notes.  
- `index.html` – Interactive application template (built on the same framework as the V-Dem dashboard, powered by DuckDB-WASM for Parquet querying).

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## Citation
If using this dataset in research or analysis, please cite as:  

**Bertelsmann Stiftung. Transformation Index BTI 2024. Gütersloh: Bertelsmann Stiftung. Available at: [https://bti-project.org](https://bti-project.org)**  

When referencing this repository, please acknowledge:  

**ARAC International Inc. – Global Security Analysis & Independent Research**  

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## License
The BTI data is © Bertelsmann Stiftung. Redistribution in this repository is for educational, research, and analytical purposes under fair-use principles. Always cite the original source.