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A computationally fast estimator for random coefficients logit demand models using aggregate data
Author(s) -
Lee Jinhyuk,
Seo Kyoungwon
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
the rand journal of economics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.687
H-Index - 108
eISSN - 1756-2171
pISSN - 0741-6261
DOI - 10.1111/1756-2171.12078
Subject(s) - estimator , logit , inversion (geology) , monte carlo method , mathematics , mathematical optimization , aggregate (composite) , market share , computer science , econometrics , statistics , economics , paleontology , materials science , finance , structural basin , composite material , biology
This article proposes a computationally fast estimator for random coefficients logit demand models using aggregate data that Berry, Levinsohn, and Pakes ([Berry, S., 1995]; hereinafter, BLP) suggest. Our method, which we call approximate BLP (ABLP), is based on a linear approximation of market share functions. The computational advantages of ABLP include (i) the linear approximation enables us to adopt an analytic inversion of the market share equations instead of a numerical inversion that BLP propose, (ii) ABLP solves the market share equations only at the optimum, and (iii) it minimizes over a typically small dimensional parameter space. We show that the ABLP estimator is equivalent to the BLP estimator in large data sets. Our Monte Carlo experiments illustrate that ABLP is faster than other approaches, especially for large data sets.