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Evaluating Alternative Representations of the Choice Sets in Models of Labour Supply

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Author Info
Ugo Colombino ()
R. Aaberge
T. Wennemo

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Abstract

During the last two decades, the discrete-choice modelling of labour supply decisions has become increasingly popular, starting with Aaberge et al. (1995) and van Soest (1995). Within the literature adopting this approach there are however two potentially important issues t hat so far have not been given the attention they might deserve. A first issue concerns the procedure by which the discrete alternatives are selected to enter the choice set. For example van Soest (1995) chooses (non probabilistically) a set of fixed points identical for every individual. This is by far the most widely adopted method. By contrast, Aaberge et al. (1995) adopt a sampling procedure suggested by McFadden (1978) and also assume that the choice set may differ across the households. A second issue concerns the availability of the alternatives. Most authors assume all the values of hours-of-work within some range [0, H] are equally available. At the other extreme, some authors assume only two or three alternatives (e.g. non-participation, part-time and full-time) are available for everyone. Aaberge et al. (1995) assume instead that not all the hour opportunities are equally available to everyone; they specify a probability density function of opportunities for each individual and the discrete choice set used in the estimation is built by sampling from that individual -specific density function. In this paper we explore by simulation the implications of - the procedure used to build the choice set (fixed alternatives vs sampled alternatives) - accounting or not accounting for a different availability of alternatives. The results of the evaluation performed in this paper show that the way the choice set is represented have little impact on the fitting of observed values, but a more significant and important impact on the out-of-sample prediction performance.

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Paper provided by CHILD - Centre for Household, Income, Labour and Demographic economics - ITALY in its series CHILD Working Papers with number wp17_06.

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Length: 26 pages
Date of creation: Oct 2006
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Handle: RePEc:wpc:wplist:wp17_06

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Related research
Keywords: Labour supply; discrete-choice models; quantity constraints; prediction performance;

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Find related papers by JEL classification:
C51 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric Modeling - - - Model Construction and Estimation
C52 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric Modeling - - - Model Evaluation and Testing
H31 - Public Economics - - Fiscal Policies and Behavior of Economic Agents - - - Household
J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply

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References listed on IDEAS
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  14. Aaberge, Rolf & Colombino, Ugo & Strom, Steinar, 1999. "Labour Supply in Italy: An Empirical Analysis of Joint Household Decisions, with Taxes and Quantity Constraints," Journal of Applied Econometrics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 14(4), pages 403-22, July-Aug.. [Downloadable!]
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  1. José M. Labeaga & Xisco Oliver & Amedeo Spadaro, 2005. "Discrete choice models of labour supply, behavioural microsimulation and the Spanish tax reform," PSE Working Papers 2005-13, PSE (Ecole normale supérieure). [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  2. Haan, Peter & Navarro, Dolores, 2008. "Optimal Income Taxation of Married Couples: An Empirical Analysis of Joint and Individual Taxation," IZA Discussion Papers 3819, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). [Downloadable!]
  3. Colombino U & Locatelli M & Narazani E & O'donoghue C & Shima I, 2008. "Behavioural And Welfare Effects Of Basic Income Policies: A Simulation For European Countries," EUROMOD Working Papers EM5/08, EUROMOD at the Institute for Social and Economic Research. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  4. Peter Haan & Dolores Navarro, 2008. "Optimal Income Taxation of Married Couples: An Empirical Analysis of Joint and Individual Taxation," Discussion Papers of DIW Berlin 838, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research. [Downloadable!]
  5. Aaberge, Rolf & Flood, Lennart, 2008. "Evaluation of an In-Work Tax Credit Reform in Sweden: Effects on Labor Supply and Welfare Participation of Single Mothers," IZA Discussion Papers 3736, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
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