The treatment of neglected heterogeneity in cross-sectional data sets.

dc.contributor.authorMeng, Dien_US
dc.contributor.departmentEconomics & Financeen_US
dc.date.accessioned2014-06-20T16:29:47Z
dc.date.available2014-06-20T16:29:47Z
dc.date.issued2000en_US
dc.descriptionAdviser: Joachim Zietz.en_US
dc.description.abstractThis study is to show how one can apply classification analysis to pure cross-sectional data in economics to build up models that incorporate behavioral differences and that, therefore, allow for more accurate and efficient policy applications. The study looks into both the problems that typically arise when behavioral heterogeneity is neglected in the empirical estimation process and a possible solution to the problem of identifying viable groups of economic actors with homogeneous behavioral response patterns.en_US
dc.description.abstractThe study is not aimed at providing a general method that is applicable for every possible cross-sectional data set and/or every possible heterogeneity pattern. Rather, it demonstrates, for a particular economic example of interest in regional economics, how one can take advantage of a variety of multivariate procedures in the general area of classification analysis to help reveal the nature of heterogeneity and to explore possible avenues to detect homogeneity.en_US
dc.description.abstractIn this study, the testing methodology (Zietz, 2000) for the problem of neglected heterogeneity is successfully implemented in practice. The test results confirm the existence of the problem of neglected heterogeneity for the original unclassified cross-section data used in this study.en_US
dc.description.abstractThis study is able to develop an objective and effective classification methodology for a given specific data set to discover homogeneous subgroups with similar individual characteristics that are related to their economic behavior.en_US
dc.description.abstractAs demonstrated by this study, one can establish a close and economically meaningful relationship between group-specific economic behavior and the individual characteristics of the economic agents in each group. Such relationships should be of significant economic value. For example, economic policies that try to target specific groups need exactly this type of group-specific information. It is also valuable for such issues as deriving forecasts for the aggregate of all observations. Specifically, the results provide not only useful weights that can be used to aggregate the subgroups but also the different behavioral patterns that need to be aggregated.en_US
dc.description.abstractThe procedures developed in this study apply to many research areas outside of economics. Specifically, they apply whenever one is facing the problem of neglected heterogeneity. The application of the methodology in the area of economic education is illustrated as an example in the study.en_US
dc.description.abstractThe study can be used by the readers who are interested in homogeneity-heterogeneity topics as a learning tool because all steps are carefully laid out and discussed.en_US
dc.description.abstractReaders interested in potential applications of the techniques in the field of educational research are provided with a number of suggestions on how the methodology can be of potential use.en_US
dc.description.degreeD.A.en_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://jewlscholar.mtsu.edu/handle/mtsu/4003
dc.publisherMiddle Tennessee State Universityen_US
dc.subject.lcshDataen_US
dc.subject.lcshEconomics, Theoryen_US
dc.subject.lcshStatisticsen_US
dc.thesis.degreegrantorMiddle Tennessee State Universityen_US
dc.thesis.degreelevelDoctoralen_US
dc.titleThe treatment of neglected heterogeneity in cross-sectional data sets.en_US
dc.typeDissertationen_US

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