The Early Years of Panel Data Econometrics
回顾面板数据计量经济学的早期发展，聚焦Mundlak（1961）和Balestra与Nerlove（1966）两篇开创性论文，阐述如何通过固定效应与随机效应模型处理个体异质性和动态行为，对理解计量经济学历史的研究者有用。
This essay focuses on the early years of panel data econometrics and two seminal papers by Yair Mundlak (1961) and Pietro Balestra and Marc Nerlove (1966). The issue of latent individual heterogeneity was identified as a central problem. One main ambition was to get a clear understanding of how differences in behavior across individuals and/or through time could and should be modeled. Another main aspect was the assumed inherent dynamic pattern of economic behavior, which requires the use of specific models and data collection. These articles attempted to build relevant models and statistical methods, mainly based on the distinction between fixed effects (analysis of covariance) and random effects. They brought back identification issues in the context of estimating a production function of sixty-six farms in Israel for 1954–58 (Mundlak 1961) and the demand for natural gas in the residential and commercial market of thirty-six U.S. states observed for 1957–62 (Balestra and Nerlove 1966).