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Modes, weighted modes, and calibrated modes: evidence of clustering using modality tests
Author(s) -
Henderson Daniel J.,
Parmeter Christopher F.,
Russell R. Robert
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
journal of applied econometrics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.878
H-Index - 99
eISSN - 1099-1255
pISSN - 0883-7252
DOI - 10.1002/jae.1023
Subject(s) - econometrics , weighting , statistic , sample (material) , statistics , population , multimodality , productivity , statistical hypothesis testing , cluster analysis , contrast (vision) , mathematics , modality (human–computer interaction) , test statistic , economics , computer science , demography , artificial intelligence , medicine , chemistry , macroeconomics , chromatography , sociology , world wide web , radiology
We apply recent results from the statistics literature to test for multimodality of worldwide distributions of several (unweighted and population‐weighted) measures of labor productivity. Specifically, we employ Silverman (Bump) and Dip modality tests, calibrated to correct for their incorrect asymptotic levels. We show that test results are sensitive to the test statistic employed and to population weighting. But regardless of the statistical criterion used, multimodality is present throughout, or emerges during, our sample period (1960–2000). We also examine (a) movements of economies between modal clusters and (b) relationships between certain key development factors and multimodality of the productivity distribution. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.