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Computational Efficiency in Bayesian Model and Variable Selection

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Author Info
Eklund, Jana () (Department of Business, Economics, Statistics and Informatics)
Karlsson, Sune () (Department of Business, Economics, Statistics and Informatics)

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Abstract

Large scale Bayesian model averaging and variable selection exercises present, despite the great increase in desktop computing power, considerable computational challenges. Due to the large scale it is impossible to evaluate all possible models and estimates of posterior probabilities are instead obtained from stochastic (MCMC) schemes designed to converge on the posterior distribution over the model space. While this frees us from the requirement of evaluating all possible models the computational effort is still substantial and efficient implementation is vital. Efficient implementation is concerned with two issues: the efficiency of the MCMC algorithm itself and efficient computation of the quantities needed to obtain a draw from the MCMC algorithm. We evaluate several different MCMC algorithms and find that relatively simple algorithms with local moves perform competitively except possibly when the data is highly collinear. For the second aspect, efficient computation within the sampler, we focus on the important case of linear models where the computations essentially reduce to least squares calculations. Least squares solvers that update a previous model estimate are appealing when the MCMC algorithm makes local moves and we find that the Cholesky update is both fast and accurate.

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Publisher Info
Paper provided by Örebro University, Swedish Business School in its series Working Papers with number 2007:4.

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Length: 41 pages
Date of creation: 10 Sep 2007
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Handle: RePEc:hhs:oruesi:2007_004

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Postal: Örebro University, Swedish Business School, SE - 701 82 ÖREBRO, Sweden
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Related research
Keywords: Bayesian Model Averaging; Sweep operator; Cholesky decomposition; QR decomposition; Swendsen-Wang algorithm;

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Find related papers by JEL classification:
C11 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods: General - - - Bayesian Analysis
C15 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods: General - - - Statistical Simulation Methods
C52 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric Modeling - - - Model Evaluation and Testing
C63 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Mathematical Methods and Programming - - - Computational Techniques

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References listed on IDEAS
Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:
  1. Gary Koop & Simon Potter, 2004. "Forecasting in dynamic factor models using Bayesian model averaging," Econometrics Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 7(2), pages 550-565, December. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  2. Fernandez, Carmen & Ley, Eduardo & Steel, Mark F. J., 2001. "Benchmark priors for Bayesian model averaging," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 100(2), pages 381-427, February. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  3. Smith, Michael & Kohn, Robert, 1996. "Nonparametric regression using Bayesian variable selection," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 75(2), pages 317-343, December. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  4. Sune Karlsson & Tor Jacobson, 2004. "Finding good predictors for inflation: a Bayesian model averaging approach," Journal of Forecasting, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 23(7), pages 479-496. [Downloadable!]
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Cited by:
(explanations, Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.)

  1. Jesús Crespo-Cuaresma & Gernot Doppelhofer & Martin Feldkircher, 2009. "The Determinants of Economic Growth in European Regions," CESifo Working Paper Series CESifo Working Paper No. , CESifo Group Munich. [Downloadable!]
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This page was last updated on 2009-11-17.


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