The negative multinomial logit model

A polychotomous logit model is defined for negative multinomial frequency counts within independent populations. An efficient estimator of the model parameters and estimator covariance matrix is given in closed form. Minimum chi-square and Wald tests are presented.     

Semiparametric multinomial logit models for analysing consumer choice behaviour

The multinomial logit model (MNL) is one of the most frequently used statistical models in marketing applications. It allows one to relate an unordered categorical response variable, for example representing the choice of a brand, to a vector of covariates such as the price of the brand or variables characterising the consumer. In its classical form, all covariates enter in strictly parametric, linear form into the utility function of the MNL model. In this paper, we introduce semiparametric extensions, where smooth effects of continuous covariates are modelled by penalised splines. A mixed model representation of these penalised splines is employed to obtain estimates of the corresponding smoothing parameters, leading to a fully automated estimation procedure. To validate semiparametric models against parametric models, we utilise different scoring rules as well as predicted market share and compare parametric and semiparametric approaches for a number of brand choice data sets.     

Standard errors in the multinomial logit model

Asymptotic stmdard errors in the multinomial log it model are derived for efficient estimates of (A) the probability of choosing an alternative , (B) the change in the probability of choosing an alternative given a change in an explanatory variable , (C) the expected response, and (D) the change in the expected response given a change in an explanatory variable. An empirical example illustrates the usefulness of the concepts developed here.     

Small area estimates of labour force participation under a multinomial logit mixed model

Summary.  A new methodology is developed for estimating unemployment or employment characteristics in small areas, based on the assumption that the sample totals of unemployed and employed individuals follow a multinomial logit model with random area effects. The method is illustrated with UK labour force data aggregated by sex–age groups. For these data, the accuracy of direct estimates is poor in comparison with estimates that are derived from the multinomial logit model. Furthermore, two different estimators of the mean-squared errors are given: an analytical approximation obtained by Taylor linearization and an estimator based on bootstrapping. A simulation study for comparison of the two estimators shows the good performance of the bootstrap estimator.     

Performance of some ridge regression estimators for the multinomial logit model

This article considers several estimators for estimating the ridge parameter k for multinomial logit model based on the work of Khalaf and Shukur (2005 Khalaf, G., and G. Shukur. 2005. Choosing ridge parameters for regression problems. Commun. Statist. Theor. Meth., 34:1177–1182.[Taylor &; Francis Online], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]), Alkhamisi et al. (2006 Alkhamisi, M., G. Khalaf, and G. Shukur. 2006. Some modifications for choosing ridge parameters. Commun. Statist. Theor. Meth. 35:2005–2020.[Taylor &; Francis Online], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]), and Muniz et al. (2012 Muniz, G., B. M. G. Kibria, K. Månsson, and G. Shukur. 2012. On developing ridge regression parameters: A graphical investigation. in SORT. 36: 115–138.[Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]). The mean square error (MSE) is considered as the performance criterion. A simulation study has been conducted to compare the performance of the estimators. Based on the simulation study we found that increasing the correlation between the independent variables and the number of regressors has negative effect on the MSE. However, when the sample size increases the MSE decreases even when the correlation between the independent variables is large. Based on the minimum MSE criterion some useful estimators for estimating the ridge parameter k are recommended for the practitioners.     

Response shrinkage estimation in multinomial logit models

A shrinkage estimation method for multinomial logit models is developed. The proposed method is based on shrinking the responses for each category towards the underlying probabilities. The estimator is also used in combination with Pregibon's resistant fitting. The resulting estimator can also be used to control the over-estimation of Pregibon's resistant estimator. The proposed method handles not only the problem of separation in multinomial logit models but estimates also exist when the number of covariates is large relative to the sample size. Estimates exist even when the MLE does not exist. Estimates can be easily computed with all commonly used statistical packages supporting the fitting procedures with weights. Estimates are compared with the usual MLE and Firth's bias reduction technique in a simulation study and an application.     

Optimal designs for estimating a choice hierarchy by a general nested multinomial logit model

Abstract

In choice experiments the process of decision-making can be more complex than the proposed by the Multinomial Logit Model (MNL). In these scenarios, models such as the Nested Multinomial Logit Model (NMNL) are often employed to model a more complex decision-making. Understanding the decision-making process is important in some fields such as marketing. Achieving a precise estimation of the models is crucial to the understanding of this process. To do this, optimal experimental designs are required. To construct an optimal design, information matrix is key. A previous research by others has developed the expression for the information matrix of the two-level NMNL model with two nests: Alternatives nest (J alternatives) and No-Choice nest (1 alternative). In this paper, we developed the likelihood function for a two-stage NMNL model for M nests and we present the expression for the information matrix for 2 nests with any amount of alternatives in them. We also show alternative D-optimal designs for No-Choice scenarios with similar relative efficiency but with less complex alternatives which can help to obtain more reliable answers and one application of these designs.     

A model averaging approach for the ordered probit and nested logit models with applications

This paper considers model averaging for the ordered probit and nested logit models, which are widely used in empirical research. Within the frameworks of these models, we examine a range of model averaging methods, including the jackknife method, which is proved to have an optimal asymptotic property in this paper. We conduct a large-scale simulation study to examine the behaviour of these model averaging estimators in finite samples, and draw comparisons with model selection estimators. Our results show that while neither averaging nor selection is a consistently better strategy, model selection results in the poorest estimates far more frequently than averaging, and more often than not, averaging yields superior estimates. Among the averaging methods considered, the one based on a smoothed version of the Bayesian Information criterion frequently produces the most accurate estimates. In three real data applications, we demonstrate the usefulness of model averaging in mitigating problems associated with the ‘replication crisis’ that commonly arises with model selection.     

A hybrid Markov chain for the Bayesian analysis of the multinomial probit model

Bayesian inference for the multinomial probit model, using the Gibbs sampler with data augmentation, has been recently considered by some authors. The present paper introduces a modification of the sampling technique, by defining a hybrid Markov chain in which, after each Gibbs sampling cycle, a Metropolis step is carried out along a direction of constant likelihood. Examples with simulated data sets motivate and illustrate the new technique. A proof of the ergodicity of the hybrid Markov chain is also given.     

A power comparison of three tests for design effects in a random effects covariance model

A preliminary testing procedure for design ettecta in a ran-dom effects covariance model is Compared with the usual procedure to see if the power of the latter can be improved. A procedure which ignores the random covariate effects is included for comparison and for study of misspecification effects. Methodology is based on Roebruck's (1982) results for regular linear models.     

Likelihood-based approach for analysis of longitudinal nominal data using marginalized random effects models

Likelihood-based marginalized models using random effects have become popular for analyzing longitudinal categorical data. These models permit direct interpretation of marginal mean parameters and characterize the serial dependence of longitudinal outcomes using random effects [12,22]. In this paper, we propose model that expands the use of previous models to accommodate longitudinal nominal data. Random effects using a new covariance matrix with a Kronecker product composition are used to explain serial and categorical dependence. The Quasi-Newton algorithm is developed for estimation. These proposed methods are illustrated with a real data set and compared with other standard methods.     

A certain locally most powerful test for one-way random effects model: full distribution and power considerations

We investigate the properties of the locally most powerful nonparametric criterion against logistic alternatives developed by Govindarajulu (1975) for testing one-way random effects modcls. We deduce the appropriate computational forms for the test criterion T and tabulate the critical values of T for α = .01, .05 and 0.10, and various sample sizes. Certain features of the computational methods are discussed. In the tables we retain only those sample sizes beyond which the asymptotic theory is meaningful. We also study the power comparison of the test for two populations with the classical F-test under a range of normal alternatives.     

A Bayesian approach for analysing longitudinal nominal outcomes using random coefficients transitional generalized logit model: an application to the labour force survey data

A random-effects transition model is proposed to model the economic activity status of household members. This model is introduced to take into account two kinds of correlations; one due to the longitudinal nature of the study, which will be considered using a transition parameter, and the other due to the existing correlation between responses of members of the same household which is taken into account by introducing random coefficients into the model. The results are presented based on the homogeneous (all parameters are not changed by time) and non-homogeneous Markov models with random coefficients. A Bayesian approach via the Gibbs sampling is used to perform parameter estimation. Results of using random-effects transition model are compared, using deviance information criterion, with those of three other models which exclude random effects and/or transition effects. It is shown that the full model gains more precision due to the consideration of all aspects of the process which generated the data. To illustrate the utility of the proposed model, a longitudinal data set which is extracted from the Iranian Labour Force Survey is analysed to explore the simultaneous effect of some covariates on the current economic activity as a nominal response. Also, some sensitivity analyses are performed to assess the robustness of the posterior estimation of the transition parameters to the perturbations of the prior parameters.     

Semiparametric mixture models and repeated measures: the multinomial cut point model

Summary.  Suppose that we have m repeated measures on each subject, and we model the observation vectors with a finite mixture model.  We further assume that the repeated measures are conditionally independent. We present methods to estimate the shape of the component distributions along with various features of the component distributions such as the medians, means and variances. We make no distributional assumptions on the components; indeed, we allow different shapes for different components.     

Identification of outliers in a one-way random effects model

We distinguish between three types of outliers in a one-way random effects model. These are formally described in terms of their position relative to the main part of the observations. We propose simple rules for identifying such outliers and give an example which involves median-based statistics.     

A transformation for estimating the trinomial logit model with grouped data

For logit models where the outcome variables are the proportions of individuals falling into each of three categories, this paper develops a data transformation through which GLS estimates can be obtained by running OLS on the transformed data.     

Noninformative priors for the between-group variance in the unbalanced one-way random effects model with heterogeneous error variances

For the unbalanced one-way random effects model with heterogeneous error variances, we propose the non-informative priors for the between-group variance and develop the first- and second-order matching priors. It turns out that the second-order matching priors do not exist and the reference prior and Jeffreys prior do not satisfy a first-order matching criterion. We also show that the first-order matching prior meets the frequentist target coverage probabilities much better than the Jeffreys prior and reference prior through simulation study, and the Bayesian credible intervals based on the matching prior and reference prior give shorter intervals than the existing confidence intervals by examples.     

The repair alert models with fixed and random effects

This article extends a random preventive maintenance scheme, called repair alert model, when there exist environmental variables that effect on system lifetimes. It can be used for implementing age-dependent maintenance policies on engineering devices. In other words, consider a device that works for a job and is subject to failure at a random time X, and the maintenance crew can avoid the failure by a possible replacement at some random time Z. The new model is flexible to including covariates with both fixed and random effects. The problem of estimating parameters is also investigated in details. Here, the observations are in the form of random signs censoring data (RSCD) with covariates. Therefore, this article generalizes derived statistical inferences on the basis of RSCD albeit without covariates in past literature. To do this, it is assumed that the system lifetime distribution belongs to the log-location-scale family of distributions. A real dataset is also analyzed on basis of the results obtained.     

Modeling proportions and marginal counts simultaneously for clustered multinomial data with random cluster sizes

Clustered multinomial data with random cluster sizes commonly appear in health, environmental and ecological studies. Traditional approaches for analyzing clustered multinomial data contemplate two assumptions. One of these assumptions is that cluster sizes are fixed, whereas the other demands cluster sizes to be positive. Randomness of the cluster sizes may be the determinant of the within-cluster correlation and between-cluster variation. We propose a baseline-category mixed model for clustered multinomial data with random cluster sizes based on Poisson mixed models. Our orthodox best linear unbiased predictor approach to this model depends only on the moment structure of unobserved distribution-free random effects. Our approach also consolidates the marginal and conditional modeling interpretations. Unlike the traditional methods, our approach can accommodate both random and zero cluster sizes. Two real-life multinomial data examples, crime data and food contamination data, are used to manifest our proposed methodology.     

Adaptive fitting of linear mixed-effects models with correlated random effects

Linear mixed-effects model has been widely used in longitudinal data analyses. In practice, the fitting algorithm can fail to converge due to boundary issues of the estimated random-effects covariance matrix G, that is, being near-singular, non-positive definite, or both. Current available algorithms are not computationally optimal because the condition number of matrix G is unnecessarily increased when the random-effects correlation estimate is not zero. We propose an adaptive fitting (AF) algorithm using an optimal linear transformation of the random-effects design matrix. It is a data-driven adaptive procedure, aiming at reducing subsequent random-effects correlation estimates down to zero in the optimal transformed estimation space. Simulations show that AF significantly improves the convergent properties, especially under small sample size, relative large noise and high correlation settings. One real data for insulin-like growth factor protein is used to illustrate the application of this algorithm implemented with software package R (nlme).