121 research outputs found

    L\u2019eterogeneit\ue0 delle preferenze nel trasporto merci: un confronto tra diversi metodi per catturarla.

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    La struttura delle preferenze relative al trasporto merci \ue8 generalmente caratterizzata dalla presenza di una forte eterogeneit\ue0 dovuta alle specifiche caratteristiche della merce trasportata, dell\u2019azienda che commissiona il trasporto, degli operatori che se ne occupano, dell\u2019area in cui il trasporto si sviluppa. La classe dei modelli logit a parametri casuali si prefigge lo scopo di catturare tale eterogeneit\ue0 e di integrarla nei processi di stima. In questo articolo verranno confrontati diversi modelli all\u2019interno di questa classe. I modelli in esame differiscono per le assunzioni fatte circa la distribuzione dei parametri nella popolazione. In particolare, verranno considerati sia modelli basati su distribuzioni continue che modelli basati su distribuzioni discrete. I modelli saranno confrontati sulla base della loro capacit\ue0 di rappresentare l\u2019eterogeneit\ue0, della semplicit\ue0 di interpretazione dei risultati e delle difficolt\ue0 computazionali. Il confronto verr\ue0 effettuato sulla base di dati derivanti dalle preferenze dichiarate di 51 imprese marchigiane, appartenenti ai settori metallurgico (DJ) e mobile (DN), circa le caratteristiche del loro trasporto merci tipico

    A Markov Switching Re-evaluation of Event-Study Methodology

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    This paper reconsiders event-study methodology in light of evidences showing that Cumulative Abnormal Return (CAR) can result in misleading inferences about financial market efficiency and pre(post)-event behavior. In particular, CAR can be biased downward, due to the increased volatility on the event day and within the event window. We propose the use of Markov Switching Models to capture the effect of an event on security prices. We apply the proposed methodology to a set of 45 historical series on Credit Default Swap (CDS) quotes subject to multiple credit events, such as reviews for downgrading. Since CDSs provide insurance against the default of a particular company or sovereign entity, this study checks if market anticipates reviews for downgrading and evaluates the time period the announcements lag behind the market

    Bayesian inference for marginal models under equality and inequality constraints

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    We develop a Bayesian framework for making inference on a class of marginal models for categorical variables, which is formulated through equality and/or inequality constraints on generalized logits, generalized log-odds ratios and similar higher-order interactions. A Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) algorithm is used for parameters estimation and for computing the Bayes factor between competing models. The approach is illustrated through the application to a well-known dataset on social mobility

    Testing for simplification in spatial models

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    Data collected on a rectangular lattice occur frequently in many areas such as field trials, geostatistics, remotely sensed data, and image analysis. Models for the spatial process often make simplifying assumptions, including axial symmetry and separability. We consider methods for testing these assumptions and compare tests based on sample covariances, tests based on the sample spectrum, and model-based tests

    Testing for positive association in contingency tables with fixed margins

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    An exact conditional approach is developed to test for certain forms of positive association between two ordinal variables (e.g. positive quadrant dependence, total positivity of order 2). The approach is based on the use of a test statistic measuring the goodness-of-(t of the model formulated according to the type of positive association of interest. The nuisance parameters, corresponding to the marginal distributions of the two variables, are eliminated by conditioning the inference on the observed margins. This, in turn, allows to remove the uncertainty on the conclusion of the test, which typically arises in the unconditional context where the null distribution of the test statistic depends on such parameters. Since the multivariate generalized hypergeometric distribution, which results from conditioning, is normally intractable, Markov chain Monte Carlo methods are used to obtain maximum likelihood estimates of the parameters of the constrained model. The Pearson\u2019s chi-squared statistics is used as a test statistic; a p-value forthis statistic is computed through simulation, when the data are sparse, or exploiting the asymptotic theory based on the chi-bar squared distribution. The extension of the present approach to deal with bivariate contingency tables, strati(ed according to one or more explanatory discrete variables, is also outlined. Finally, three applications based on real data are presented

    The use of mixtures for dealing with non-normal regression errors

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    In many situations, the distribution of the error terms of a linear regression model departs significantly from normality. It is shown, through a simulation study, that an effective strategy to deal with these situations is fitting a regression model based on the assumption that the error terms follow a mixture of normal distributions. The main advantage, with respect to the usual approach based on the least-squares method is a greater precision of the parameter estimates and confidence intervals. For the parameter estimation we make use of the EM algorithm, while confidence intervals are constructed through a bootstrap method

    Bayesian Flexible Modelling of Mixed Logit Models

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    The widespread use of the Mixed Multinomial Logit model, in the context of discrete choice data, has made the issue of choosing a mixing distribution very important. The choice of a specific distribution may seriously bias results if that distribution is not suitable for the data. We propose a flexible hierarchical Bayesian approach in which the mixing distribution is approximated through a mixture of normal distributions. Numerical results on a real data set are provided to demonstrate the usefulness of the proposed method

    Model-based tests for simplification of lattice processes

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    Separable processes represent a convenient class of models for data collected on a regular rectangular lattice. Three model-based tests, for testing separability and testing axial symmetry and separability together, are presented. These are shown to be much more powerful than existing model-free tests using the sample periodogram, provided the model assumptions hold. A simulation study also suggests that these tests are not very sensitive to small departures from the assumed process

    A nonparametric multidimensional latent class IRT model in a Bayesian framework

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    We propose a nonparametric Item Response Theory model for dichotomously scored items in a Bayesian framework. Partitions of the items are defined on the basis of inequality constraints among the latent class success probabilities. A Reversible Jump type algorithm is described for sampling from the posterior distribution. A consequence is the possibility to make inference on the number of dimensions (i.e., number of groups of items measuring the same latent trait) and to cluster items when unidimensionality is violated
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