Event
Joel Horowitz (Northwestern), "Estimation of a Heterogeneous Demand Function with Berkson Errors"
Friday, October 14, 2022 10:30to12:00
Leacock Building
Room 429, 855 rue Sherbrooke Ouest, Montreal, QC, H3A 2T7, CA
"Estimation of a Heterogeneous Demand Function with Berkson Errors"
Joel Horowitz (Northwestern)
Montreal Econometrics Seminar
October 14, 2022, 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM
LEA 429
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.