The Econometric Foundations of Hedonic Elementary Price Indices

Hedonic methods are currently considered state-of-the-art for handling quality changes when compiling consumer price indices. The present article proposes first a mathematical description of characteristics and of elementary aggregates. In a following step, a hedonic econometric model is formulated and hedonic elementary population indices are defined. These indices extend from simple indices based on some average quality to universal formulae that incorporate the full quality spectrum of the respective elementary aggregate. We emphasise that population indices are unobservable economic parameters that need to be estimated by suitable sample indices. It is shown that most of the hedonic elementary index formulae used in practice are sample versions of particular hedonic elementary population indices

Statistical Theory of Hedonic Price Indices

In the economic literature, essentially, hedonic techniques either are applied straightforwardly or the economic foundations of the hedonic hypothesis are discussed. In this paper, the statistical foundations of hedonic price indices are developed. After a short overview on well-known functional forms of hedonic equations, first, precise hedonic notions of a good and its price are specified. These specifications allow a clear-cut definition of true hedonic price indices. Then, the problem of estimating hedonic price indices is treated. It is shown, first, that the usual hedonic price index formulae result from estimating certain true indices in a special way and, second, that the techniques used in practice for estimating hedonic indices are just first approaches

Euro or “Teuro”?: The Euro-induced Perceived Inflation in Germany

After the introduction of the euro notes and coins in January 2002, throughout the Economic and Monetary Union member countries there was a widespread feeling that the euro had brought about a significant hike in consumer prices. A substantial discrepancy was evident between inflation as measured by the official consumer price indices (CPI) and the one perceived by the general public. In this paper the German case is treated. First, a short overview is given on the public discussions and the many studies published by the German Federal Statistical Office. Then a newly developed theory of inflation perception is outlined and a corresponding index of perceived inflation (IPI) is developed. This index has been calculated for Germany. In the main part of the paper, the results are presented. The IPI time series for Germany from 1996 through 2006 clearly show a special inflation around the introduction of the Euro notes and coins. During that period, the average perceived inflation was approximately 4 times higher than the official inflation rate

Statistik zwischen Lüge und Wahrheit: Zur Aussagekraft wirtschafts- und sozialstatistischer Aussagen

Gegenstand der vorliegenden Arbeit ist ein Versuch, das Verhältnis zwischen wirtschaftsstatistischer Information und dem Ausschnitt der Wirklichkeit, über den sie etwas auszusagen behauptet, neu zu überdenken. Dabei geht es darum, einen Begriff der Problem- und Wirklichkeitsangemessenheit zu entwickeln, welcher der Wirtschafts- und Sozialstatistik gerecht wird. Nach einer allgemeinen Charakterisierung von statistischer Methodik und Arbeitsweise wird zunächst der traditionelle Modell- und Wahrheitsbegriff dargestellt und kritisiert. Dann wird ein konstruktivistischer Modellbegriff vorgeschlagen, der zu einer pragmatischen Auffassung der Wahrheit wirtschafts- und sozialstatistischer Aussagen führt

Statistical Theory of Hedonic Price Indices

In the economic literature, essentially, hedonic techniques either are applied straightforwardly or the economic foundations of the hedonic hypothesis are discussed. In this paper, the statistical foundations of hedonic price indices are developed. After a short overview on well-known functional forms of hedonic equations, first, precise hedonic notions of a good and its price are specified. These specifications allow a clear-cut definition of true hedonic price indices. Then, the problem of estimating hedonic price indices is treated. It is shown, first, that the usual hedonic price index formulae result from estimating certain true indices in a special way and, second, that the techniques used in practice for estimating hedonic indices are just first approaches.Hedonic regression; functional forms of hedonic equations; hedonic price of a good; true hedonic price index; true hedonic Laspeyres price index, true hedonic Paasche price index; true adjacent periods price index; estimated hedonic price indices

Euro or “Teuro”?: The Euro-induced Perceived Inflation in Germany

After the introduction of the euro notes and coins in January 2002, throughout the Economic and Monetary Union member countries there was a widespread feeling that the euro had brought about a significant hike in consumer prices. A substantial discrepancy was evident between inflation as measured by the official consumer price indices (CPI) and the one perceived by the general public. In this paper the German case is treated. First, a short overview is given on the public discussions and the many studies published by the German Federal Statistical Office. Then a newly developed theory of inflation perception is outlined and a corresponding index of perceived inflation (IPI) is developed. This index has been calculated for Germany. In the main part of the paper, the results are presented. The IPI time series for Germany from 1996 through 2006 clearly show a special inflation around the introduction of the Euro notes and coins. During that period, the average perceived inflation was approximately 4 times higher than the official inflation rate.perceived inflation; price index; prospect theory; euro cash changeover