Indicators are cheaply swappable while defining dimensions require normative defense

Evidence

Indicator decisions are typically pragmatic ones about the quality and comparability of data across the OECD countries. Indicators can be included or excluded without much problem. In contrast, the defining dimensions cannot just be changed, but require significant conceptual, normative, and philosophical defense. This is a different matter altogether. — Gary Goertz, Social Science Concepts and Measurement, 180

Categorization

• DEFINE: Draws the line between the pragmatic data-indicator layer and the definitional-ontological layer of a concept.