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Statistical Treatment Choice: An Application to Active Labour Market Programmes

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Author Info
Markus Frölich () (SIAW, University of St.Gallen, IFAU Uppsala and IZA Bonn)

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Abstract

Choosing among a number of available treatments the most suitable for a given subject is an issue of everyday concern. A physician has to choose an appropriate drug treatment or medical treatment for a given patient, based on a number of observed covariates X and prior experience. A case worker in an unemployment office has to choose among a variety of available active labour market programmes for unemployed job seekers. In this paper, two methodological advancements are developed: First, this methodology permits to combine a data set on previously treated individuals with a data set on new clients when the regressors available in these two data sets do not coincide. It thereby incorporates additional regressors on previously treated that are not available for the current clients. Such a situation often arises due to cost considerations, data confidentiality reasons or time delays in data availability. Second, statistical inference on the recommended treatment choice is analyzed and conveyed to the agent, physician or case worker in a comprehensible and transparent way. The implementation of this methodology in a pilot study in Switzerland for choosing among active labour market programmes (ALMP) for unemployed job seekers is described.

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Publisher Info
Paper provided by Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA) in its series IZA Discussion Papers with number 2187.

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Length: 45 pages
Date of creation: Jun 2006
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Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp2187

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Related research
Keywords: statistical treatment rules active labour market policies

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Find related papers by JEL classification:
C13 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods: General - - - Estimation
C14 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods: General - - - Semiparametric and Nonparametric Methods

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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.:
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    Other versions:
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    Other versions:
  4. Bell, Stephen H. & Orr, Larry L., 2002. "Screening (and creaming?) applicants to job training programs: the AFDC homemaker-home health aide demonstrations," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 9(2), pages 279-301, April. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  8. Frölich, Markus & Lechner, Michael & Steiger, Heidi, 2003. "Statistically assisted programme selection - International experiences and potential benefits for Switzerland," Working Paper Series 2004:1, IFAU - Institute for Labour Market Policy Evaluation. [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. Stefanie Behncke & Markus Frölich & Michael Lechner, 2007. "Targeting Labour Market Programmes: Results from a Randomized Experiment," IZA Discussion Papers 3085, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  2. Michael Rosholm & Jonas Staghøj & Michael Svarer, 2007. "A Statistical Programme Assignment Model," Economics Working Papers 2007-16, School of Economics and Management, University of Aarhus. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  3. Stefanie Behncke & Markus Frölich & Michael Lechner, 2006. "Aktive Arbeitsmarktpolitik in Deutschland und der Schweiz : eine Gegenüberstellung," Vierteljahrshefte zur Wirtschaftsforschung / Quarterly Journal of Economic Research, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research, vol. 75(3), pages 118-154. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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