Estimation of a Heterogeneous Demand Function with Berkson Errors
研究了消费者需求中伯克森测量误差的影响，提出一种利用真实价格分布外部信息的一致估计方法，并应用于美国汽油需求数据，发现考虑该误差在定量上很重要。
Abstract Berkson errors are commonplace in empirical microeconomics. In consumer demand, this form of measurement error occurs when the price an individual pays is measured by the (weighted) average price paid by individuals in a group (e.g., a county) rather than the true transaction price. We show the importance of Berkson errors for demand estimation with nonseparable unobserved heterogeneity. We develop a consistent estimator using external information on the true price distribution. Examining gasoline demand in the United States, we document substantial within-market price variability. Accounting for Berkson errors is quantitatively important. Imposing the Slutsky shape constraint reduces sensitivity to Berkson errors.