Financial efficiency and accounting quality: The impact of institutional micro-factors on FDI

In this paper, we explore whether factors such as financial markets and accounting qualities contribute to foreign direct investment (FDI). We use a unique data source: the survey data from World Economic Forum, to measure the efficiency of the financial markets and the quality of accounting standards. With this unique data, we demonstrate that financial markets and accounting quality are important factors of FDI inflow into a country. In particular, FDI is positively correlated with the strength of financial audits and reporting standards and venture capital availability for all countries. We also show that accounting quality measures are more important for developing and emerging countries than for developed countries. On the other hand, financial market measures, especially the access to venture capital, have a bigger impact in attracting FDI flow into developed countries. These results support the hypothesis that local financial markets and accounting quality affect FDI. The results have strong policy implications for governmental regulatory agencies.     

A generalization of the logistic linear'model

Consider the logistic linear model, with some explanatory variables overlooked. Those explanatory variables may be quantitative or qualitative. In either case, the resulting true response variable is not a binomial or a beta-binomial but a sum of binomials. Hence, standard computer packages for logistic regression can be inappropriate even if an overdispersion factor is incorporated. Therefore, a discrete exponential family assumption is considered to broaden the class of sampling models. Likelihood and Bayesian analyses are discussed. Bayesian computation techniques such as Laplacian approximations and Markov chain simulations are used to compute posterior densities and moments. Approximate conditional distributions are derived and are shown to be accurate. The Markov chain simulations are performed effectively to calculate posterior moments by using the approximate conditional distributions. The methodology is applied to Keeler's hardness of winter wheat data for checking binomial assumptions and to Matsumura's Accounting exams data for detailed likelihood and Bayesian analyses.     

Target estimation for the logistic regression model

The method of target estimation developed by Cabrera and Fernholz [(1999). Target estimation for bias and mean square error reduction. The Annals of Statistics, 27(3), 1080–1104.] to reduce bias and variance is applied to logistic regression models of several parameters. The expectation functions of the maximum likelihood estimators for the coefficients in the logistic regression models of one and two parameters are analyzed and simulations are given to show a reduction in both bias and variability after targeting the maximum likelihood estimators. In addition to bias and variance reduction, it is found that targeting can also correct the skewness of the original statistic. An example based on real data is given to show the advantage of using target estimators for obtaining better confidence intervals of the corresponding parameters. The notion of the target median is also presented with some applications to the logistic models.     

Preliminary phi-divergence test estimators for linear restrictions in a logistic regression model

The problem of estimation of the parameters in a logistic regression model is considered under multicollinearity situation when it is suspected that the parameter of the logistic regression model may be restricted to a subspace. We study the properties of the preliminary test based on the minimum ϕ -divergence estimator as well as in the ϕ -divergence test statistic. The minimum ϕ -divergence estimator is a natural extension of the maximum likelihood estimator and the ϕ -divergence test statistics is a family of the test statistics for testing the hypothesis that the regression coefficients may be restricted to a subspace.     

THE ANALYSIS OF DISCRETE CHOICE EXPERIMENTS WITH CORRELATED ERROR STRUCTURE

In a stated preference discrete choice experiment each subject is typically presented with several choice sets, and each choice set contains a number of alternatives. The alternatives are defined in terms of their name (brand) and their attributes at specified levels. The task for the subject is to choose from each choice set the alternative with highest utility for them. The multinomial is an appropriate distribution for the responses to each choice set since each subject chooses one alternative, and the multinomial logit is a common model. If the responses to the several choice sets are independent, the likelihood function is simply the product of multinomials. The most common and generally preferred method of estimating the parameters of the model is maximum likelihood (that is, selecting as estimates those values that maximize the likelihood function). If the assumption of within-subject independence to successive choice tasks is violated (it is almost surely violated), the likelihood function is incorrect and maximum likelihood estimation is inappropriate. The most serious errors involve the estimation of the variance-covariance matrix of the model parameter estimates, and the corresponding variances of market shares and changes in market shares.

In this paper we present an alternative method of estimation of the model parameter coefficients that incorporates a first-order within-subject covariance structure. The method involves the familiar log-odds transformation and application of the multivariate delta method. Estimation of the model coefficients after the transformation is a straightforward generalized least squares regression, and the corresponding improved estimate of the variance-covariance matrix is in closed form. Estimates of market share (and change in market share) follow from a second application of the multivariate delta method. The method and comparison with maximum likelihood estimation are illustrated with several simulated and actual data examples.

Advantages of the proposed method are: 1) it incorporates the within-subject covariance structure; 2) it is completely data driven; 3) it requires no additional model assumptions; 4) assuming asymptotic normality, it provides a simple procedure for computing confidence regions on market shares and changes in market shares; and 5) it produces results that are asymptotically equivalent to those produced by maximum likelihood when the data are independent.     

Subject-specific odds ratios in binomial GLMMs with continuous response

In a regression context, the dichotomization of a continuous outcome variable is often motivated by the need to express results in terms of the odds ratio, as a measure of association between the response and one or more risk factors. Starting from the recent work of Moser and Coombs (Stat Med 23:1843–1860, 2004) in this article we explore in a mixed model framework the possibility of obtaining odds ratio estimates from a regression linear model without the need of dichotomizing the response variable. It is shown that the odds ratio estimators derived from a linear mixed model outperform those from a binomial generalized linear mixed model, especially when the data exhibit high levels of heterogeneity.     

Optimal design for the Bradley–Terry paired comparison model

Paired comparisons are a popular tool for questionnaires in psychological marketing research. The quality of the statistical analysis of the responses heavily depends on the design, i.e. the choice of the alternatives in the comparisons. In this paper we show that the structure of locally optimal designs changes substantially with the parameters in the underlying utility. This fact is illustrated by elementary examples, where the optimal designs can be completely characterized. As an alternative maximin efficient designs are proposed which perform well for all parameter settings. Research supported by grant Ho 1286 of the German Research Council (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft).     

Likelihood inference for correlated binary data without any information about the joint distributions

We propose a universal robust likelihood that is able to accommodate correlated binary data without any information about the underlying joint distributions. This likelihood function is asymptotically valid for the regression parameter for any underlying correlation configurations, including varying under- or over-dispersion situations, which undermines one of the regularity conditions ensuring the validity of crucial large sample theories. This robust likelihood procedure can be easily implemented by using any statistical software that provides naïve and sandwich covariance matrices for regression parameter estimates. Simulations and real data analyses are used to demonstrate the efficacy of this parametric robust method.     

A class of linear transformation models for interval censored data with a cured proportion

Interval-censored data arise due to a sequence random examination such that the failure time of interest occurs in an interval. In some medical studies, there exist long-term survivors who can be considered as permanently cured. We consider a mixed model for the uncured group coming from linear transformation models and cured group coming from a logistic regression model. For the inference of parameters, an EM algorithm is developed for a full likelihood approach. To investigate finite sample properties of the proposed method, simulation studies are conducted. The approach is applied to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s hypobaric decompression sickness data.