M-quantile models with application to poverty mapping

Over the last decade there has been growing demand for estimates of population characteristics at small area level. Unfortunately, cost constraints in the design of sample surveys lead to small sample sizes within these areas and as a result direct estimation, using only the survey data, is inappropriate since it yields estimates with unacceptable levels of precision. Small area models are designed to tackle the small sample size problem. The most popular class of models for small area estimation is random effects models that include random area effects to account for between area variations. However, such models also depend on strong distributional assumptions, require a formal specification of the random part of the model and do not easily allow for outlier robust inference. An alternative approach to small area estimation that is based on the use of M-quantile models was recently proposed by Chambers and Tzavidis (Biometrika 93(2):255–268, 2006) and Tzavidis and Chambers (Robust prediction of small area means and distributions. Working paper, 2007). Unlike traditional random effects models, M-quantile models do not depend on strong distributional assumption and automatically provide outlier robust inference. In this paper we illustrate for the first time how M-quantile models can be practically employed for deriving small area estimates of poverty and inequality. The methodology we propose improves the traditional poverty mapping methods in the following ways: (a) it enables the estimation of the distribution function of the study variable within the small area of interest both under an M-quantile and a random effects model, (b) it provides analytical, instead of empirical, estimation of the mean squared error of the M-quantile small area mean estimates and (c) it employs a robust to outliers estimation method. The methodology is applied to data from the 2002 Living Standards Measurement Survey (LSMS) in Albania for estimating (a) district level estimates of the incidence of poverty in Albania, (b) district level inequality measures and (c) the distribution function of household per-capita consumption expenditure in each district. Small area estimates of poverty and inequality show that the poorest Albanian districts are in the mountainous regions (north and north east) with the wealthiest districts, which are also linked with high levels of inequality, in the coastal (south west) and southern part of country. We discuss the practical advantages of our methodology and note the consistency of our results with results from previous studies. We further demonstrate the usefulness of the M-quantile estimation framework through design-based simulations based on two realistic survey data sets containing small area information and show that the M-quantile approach may be preferable when the aim is to estimate the small area distribution function.     

中国省际农村居民收入分配的动态演变:2001-2009年

近十年是我国经济发展变化最快的一段时期,然而“三农”问题日益突出,农民收入是亟待解决的根本问题。本文利用趋同检验、核密度估计以及转移矩阵等方法刻画了我国省际农村居民收入分配的动态演变。实证分析表明,我国贫困地区农村居民收入水平比富裕地区有更高的增长率,从而导致省际农村收入差距呈逐渐缩小趋势,但不同省份的相对收入状况的变动却有所不同。     

基于尾部指数回归方法的CVaR估计以及实证研究

 在险价值VaR是一种非常重要的金融风险度量方法,近期也有很多关于动态VaR以及条件VaR (CVaR) 等方面的研究。根据金融资产的收益率具有重尾特征这一事实,本文假定金融资产收益率服从重尾分布,并假定重尾分布的尾部指数随着收益率发生变化。本文基于尾部指数回归模型对重尾分布的尾部指数进行估计,进而得到收益率尾部数据所服从的条件分布,并首次运用该方法对条件VaR进行估计。本文对沪深300指数进行了实证研究,得到CVaR的估计,并对估计得到的CVaR的预测效果作出检验,并与传统VaR估计方法进行了对比,实证结果发现本文的方法的预测效果更好。     

家庭人口结构变动对居民消费的影响研究——基于微观家庭面板数据的分析

居民消费与家庭人口结构密切相关,本文基于2018年和2019年国家统计局住户调查数据,构建基于微观家庭的平衡面板数据随机效应和固定效应模型,结合我国人口未来变动趋势,从家庭人口年龄结构、城镇化属性、受教育水平三个维度着手,就家庭人口结构变动对家庭平均消费率和消费收入弹性的影响进行实证分析。结果表明,城镇化率提高、城镇化发展质量提升以及居民受教育水平提高有助于提高家庭平均消费率和消费收入弹性,人口老龄化对家庭平均消费率具有负面效应,更为积极的生育政策能够促进居民消费。本文建议持续推进以人为核心的新型城镇化,坚持教育优先发展,持续优化生育政策,积极应对人口老龄化,挖掘老年人口消费潜力,推动建设高水平国内消费市场。     

Survival Convergence and the Preceding Mortality Crossover for Two Population Subgroups

In this paper, we present and develop the argument that if the survival functions for two population subgroups converge in later life, a mortality crossover must precede the occurrence of this convergence. Specifically, two survival curves, S ₁(x) and S ₂(x), associated with two distinct population subgroups, G₁ and G₂, tend to converge before all members die out, as often observed and anticipated. This convergence leads to an increased mortality acceleration for the “advantaged” group, and eventually fosters the occurrence of a mortality crossover. We present a mathematical proof for this relationship and offer several explanations for the mechanisms involved in the process of survival convergence and the preceding mortality crossover. This new presentation demonstrates that mortality crossover is a highly observable demographic event given the trend of survival convergence in later life.     

Relationships Between Population Density and the Perceived Quality of Neighbourhood

Two overseas survey-based scales measuring perceived quality of neighbourhood were adapted and replicated in a New Zealand context. An Italian study (Bonaiuto, Fornara, and Bonnes. (2003). Landscape and Urban Planning, 65, 41–52) measuring Perceived Residential Environmental Quality (PREQ) and an American study (Carp and Carp. (1982). Journal of Environmental Psychology, 2, 295–312) using the Perceived Environmental Quality Indices (PEQI) were applied to a sample of Auckland residents, separated into low, medium, and high population density areas. The surveys measured attitudes towards subjects such as noise, neighbours, accessibility, green areas, welfare services, recreational services, safety, maintenance, environmental health, transport services, and characteristics of an ideal neighbourhood, and were completed by 369 respondents. Primary analyses examined differences in perception across the three density groups. The factor structures of both scales were replicated with the Auckland sample, and differences across densities were found for subscales of the PREQ. The results are discussed in relation to the cross-cultural similarities of perceived environmental quality, and the concept that environmental satisfaction is based on balancing aspects of the residential environment is proposed. This research was conducted for the Foundation for Research, Science, and Technology under contract OPSX401.     

对我国2010年人口普查事后调查工作的若干建议

人口普查不可能100％计数每一个人。世界上许多国家都在人口普查后组织事后调查,使用双系统估计量另行求得一个全国人口真实数的估计数,并以此为标准估计人口普查的净遗漏率。我国历次人口普查后都进行了事后调查,其主要缺陷是未对抽取的样本事后分层,未估计“全国真实的人口数”。建议我国2010年事后调查方案在克服这两个缺陷的基础上科学确定全国的样本总量。实行两步抽样等。     

以人口健康观看我国健康保障制度改革

人口健康观是将健康的概念由个体健康拓展到以人口为基础的群体层面的一种新理念．它关注的是健康而不是疾病。从人口健康观看,我国健康保障制度改革存在着许多认识上的误区,应该以社区健康为中心重建健康保障制度。     

收入分配、技术进步与经济的持续增长——来自中国的经验

支撑中国经济近30年高增长的主要是要素投入而非技术进步,这种粗放型的增长方式以及这种方式下的经济增长都是不可持续的。中国经济发展正在进入"刘易斯转折区间",这可能为经济增长方式转变为主要依靠技术进步提供条件,也可能使经济进入均衡陷阱。技术进步本身有着内在的逻辑,它源于分工,而分工又具有自发演进的正反馈机制。建设"创新型国家"(或者说大范围的技术进步)难以依靠由政府动员全社会力量集中攻关的"举国体制"来实现,分工的深化才是技术进步,进而是经济持续增长的决定性因素。     

中国城乡发展动力结构调整的思考——收入分配视角的分析

近三十年来,中国经济实现了持续高速增长,但增长动力结构失衡。在投资、消费、净出口三大需求对国民经济发展的拉动中,消费率偏低是一个不争的事实。消费率,即消费需求在支出法国内生产总值中所占的比重,反映的是从长期考察的一个国家在其发展过程中所处的历史阶段,而不是短期内国家宏观和微观的经济运行情况。它的高低适中不能用宏观和微观经济运行情况来判定,而是要看其是否与国家或地方的经济发展方式和路径相适应。中国经济发展正处于消费率由低转高的历史阶段,中国消费率的上升是一个渐进的过程,需要从宏观上实现一系列的国民收入分配机理运行工程,即劳动收入的国家干预工程、要素收入的二次分配工程、扩大公共消费工程和加大财政转移支付工程。