Coefficients

in statistics, qualitative indexes expressed in relative quantities, that is, factors representing the results of comparisons of the dimensions of heterogeneous or homogeneous interrelated socioeconomic phenomena.

In statistics, coefficients can be used to describe (1) the speed of development of some socioeconomic phenomenon; the dynamic coefficient, as it is called, shows how many times greater a quantity is in the given period than it was in some earlier periods; (2) the frequency of occurrence of the phenomenon in a certain environment—for example, the birth rate coefficient and the coefficient of work force turnover; (3) the degree of utilization of labor, physical, or monetary resources—for example, the coefficient of extensive (over time) or intensive (by capacity) equipment load, the coefficient of materials use, and all efficiency factors; (4) coordination—that is, the interdependence of qualitatively different phenomena, including the coefficient of population density and the correlation coefficient; and (5) variation (fluctuation) of the magnitudes of a characteristic—for example, rhythm coefficients and variation factors.

Coefficients are expressed in percentages, per thousand, and as a ratio to one. It should be noted that not every relative quantity is a coefficient; for example, the relative share is considered a proportion.