The objective of this paper was to compare sustainable development
and change among Jeju, Tasmania, and Hawaii, using a set
of 33 identical ten-year time series sustainable development indicators
(SDIs) from 1996 to 2005. The 33 SDIs were grouped into ten categories
as composite variables. The comparison was done in terms of the structure
and change in sustainable development as an integrated reality.
The structure of sustainable development was compared in terms of
the explanatory power of the 33 SDIs on sustainable development as a
whole reality and their relative importance as the determinants of sustainable
development. The relative importance was compared in terms of
both individual SDIs and their categories.
The change in sustainable development was compared by category
in terms of the process of sustainable development having been determined
throughout the ten years, using their change in the position of sustainability on the basis of their relative deviation index.
The explanatory power of the SDIs and their relative importance
were different among the three islands. However, overall, the factors related
to economic development and/or those resulted from them, a priori
and/or expost facto policies, and the conservation of nature contribute to
sustainable development. Interestingly, the impeding factors were different
among the three islands. The sustainability level of the ten categories
has changed significantly throughout the ten years in all of the
three islands.
To determine the structure and change in sustainable development,
assumption would have to take into account a long list of more
parameters. The results cited in this paper are based on a limited number
of parameters in terms of SDI and time-series as well. However, the
methods for analyzing the structure and change in sustainable development
has been partially developed in this paper. Further development of
this model will prove useful for policy formation and management for
sustainable development.