ON EFFICIENCY GAINS FROM MULTIPLE INCOMPLETE SUBSAMPLES
研究了如何最优组合多阶段抽样中产生的单调子样本，以高效估计由矩条件定义的有限维参数，发现所有子样本都能为目标总体提供效率增益，并通过模拟验证。
Cost-effective survey methods such as multi( R )-phase sampling typically generate samples that are collections of monotonic subsamples, i.e., the variables observed for the units in subsample r are also observed for the units in subsample r + 1 for r = 1,…, R – 1. These subsamples represent subpopulations that can be systematically different if the selection of a unit in each phase of sampling depends on the observed variables for that unit from past phases. Our article is about optimally combining all the subsamples for the efficient estimation of a finite dimensional parameter defined by moment restrictions on a generic target population that is an arbitrary union of these subpopulations. Only the R -th subsample is assumed to contain all the variables that are arguments of the moment function. Semiparametric efficiency bounds for estimation are obtained under a unified framework, allowing for full generality of the selection on observables in the sampling design. Contribution of each subsample toward efficient estimation is analyzed; and this turns out to differ fundamentally from that in setups where the same collection of subsamples is instead generated unplanned by unknown sampling. Uniquely, our setup enables all the subsamples to contribute to the efficient estimation for all the target populations, which we show is not possible in other setups. Efficient estimation is standard. Simulation evidence of substantive efficiency gains from using all the subsamples is provided for all the targets.