%0 Journal Article %T A STATISTICAL APPROACH OF THE SPATIAL-TEMPORAL VARIABILITY OF A PHENOMENON USING A RO-EU COMPOSITE INDEX %A Elisabeta Jaba %A Alina Botezat %A Christiana Brigitte Balan %J Romanian Journal of Regional Science %D 2010 %I Romanian Regional Science Association %X This study aims at presenting a new computation index, which simultaneously measures the time and space variation of the various economic indices. The elaboration method of the space-time index is based on a matrix construct, the time and space variation of the analyzed economic index being represented via a system of vectors in plane. The practical application of the compound index is exemplified by employing the data on the growth rate of the GDP/inhabitant, calculated for two spatial entities: Romania and the European Union, for the period 1999-2008. The obtained findings confirm the fact that the proposed space-time index is a good analysis tool for the measurement of the time and space variation related to the various economic indices, as well as for testing the economic convergence for discrete time moments. %K space-time index %K convergence %K economic shock %U http://www.rrsa.ro/rjrs/V411.JABA.PDF