Properties and applications of some generalized means of positive sequences

This paper proposes a simple procedure, in order to aggregate a finite number of real nonnegative values into a unique indicator. Possible applications of this tool can be found in social sciences, including demography, sociology, etc. In particular, the indicator we consider may represent a generalized mean, to be used as an aggregate measure combining several inhomogeneous parameters. Observe that some alternatives to our approach, including complex multicriteria or multiobjective methods, are often discarded by stakeholders (say politicians, public administrators, managers, investors, etc.), since the latters are typically keen on taking decisions based on a reduced number of parameters (possibly only one), and they may be likely reluctant to be responsible for multiple choices. Hence, administrators often show scarce attitude to adopt those methods which provide multiple alternatives, e.g. a Pareto front, since this fact implies an additional responsibility in the process of selection.