nep-dcm New Economics Papers
on Discrete Choice Models
Issue of 2006‒02‒19
five papers chosen by
Philip Yu
Hong Kong University

  1. Determinants of Environmental Innovation – New Evidence from German Panel Data Sources By Jens Horbach
  2. A RANDOM PARAMETER LOGIT APPROACH TO THE TWO-STAGE TOURIST CHOICE PROCESS: GOING ON HOLIDAYS AND LENGTH OF STAY By Francisco J. Mas; Juan Luis Nicolau
  3. LOCATION STRATEGIES BASED ON DISCRETE CHOICE MODELS: AN EMPIRICAL APPLICATION TO SUPERMARKET LOCATION By Ivan Arribas; J.E. Vila; J.L. Cervera
  4. HECKIT MODELLING OF THE TWO-STAGE TOURIST CHOICE PROCESS: GOING ON HOLIDAY AND TOURISM EXPENDITURES By Francisco J. Mas; Juan Luis Nicolau
  5. SUNK COSTS HYSTERESIS IN SPANISH MANUFACTURING EXPORTS By Juan A. Máñez; Juan A. Sanchis Llopis; María E. Rochina

  1. By: Jens Horbach (University of Applied Sciences Anhalt)
    Abstract: In most cases, empirical analyses of environmental innovations based on firm-level data relied on survey data for one point in time. These surveys, especially designed for the analysis of environmental innovations, are useful because they allow for the inclusion of many explanatory variables such as different policy instruments or the influence of stake-holders and pressure groups. On the other hand, it is not possible to address the dynamic character of the environmental innovation process. This paper uses two German panel data bases, the establishment panel of the Institute for Employment Research (IAB) and the Mannheim Innovation Panel (MIP) of the Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW), to explore the determinants of environmental innovations. These data bases were not specifically collected to analyze environmental issues, but they contain questions that allow the identification of environmental innovations. We use discrete choice models for each of the data bases to analyze hypotheses derived from the theoretical (environmental) innovation literature. The econometric estimations show that the improvement of the technological capabilities (“knowledge capital”) by R&D or further education measures triggers environmental innovations – this result is confirmed by both data bases and both methods to measure environmental innovation. The hypothesis that “Innovation breeds innovation” is confirmed by the analysis of the MIP data. General and environmental innovative firms in the past are more likely to innovate in the present. Environmental regulation, environmental management tools and general organizational changes and improvements trigger environmental innovation, a result that has also been postulated by the famous Porter-hypothesis. Environmental management tools especially help to detect cost-savings (specifically material and energy savings). Following our econometric results, cost-savings are an important driving force of environmental innovation.
    Keywords: Environmental innovation, Panel data analysis, Discrete choice models
    JEL: Q55 O33 O38 C25
    Date: 2006–01
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fem:femwpa:2006.13&r=dcm
  2. By: Francisco J. Mas (Universidad de Alicante); Juan Luis Nicolau (Universidad de Alicante)
    Abstract: This paper assumes that the decision to go on holiday and the length of stay are non independent, thus the objective of this paper is to propose a two-stage tourist choice process: going on holiday and length of stay. To do this, we rely on the Random-Parameter Logit Model, which accounts for the unobserved heterogeneity of tourists and allows representation of different correlation patterns among non independent alternatives. We propose hypotheses on the effect on the above decisions of tourist characteristics relating to the destination, personal restrictions and socio-demographic and psychographic characteristics. The empirical application, which is carried out in Spain on a sample of 3,781 individuals, evidences the proposed two-stage tourist choice process. In addition, these decisions are also explained by individual tourist characteristics.
    Keywords: Tourism Marketing, Going on holiday, Length of stay, Random-Parameter Logit Model
    Date: 2004–12
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ivi:wpasad:2004-46&r=dcm
  3. By: Ivan Arribas (Universitat de València); J.E. Vila (Universitat de València); J.L. Cervera (Devstat)
    Abstract: In this paper we present a theoretic two-stage model for retailers location and consumers purchase decision. Retailers decision problem is formalized in terms of a zero-sum game, whose payoffs refers to retailers' market share and consumers decision problem is formalized in terms of a discrete choice model, based on random utilities. The theoretical models provide forecasting of equilibrium market shares and the locations to be chosen by retailers, in terms of the geographic distribution of the underlying location space (constituencies of the town), population distribution and characteristics (types) of the consumers.
    Keywords: Hotelling, Industrial Organization, Choice Model
    Date: 2004–06
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ivi:wpasad:2004-26&r=dcm
  4. By: Francisco J. Mas (Universidad de Alicante); Juan Luis Nicolau (Universidad de Alicante)
    Abstract: The objective of this paper is to decompose the process of tourist choice into two stages: taking a holiday and tourism expenditures, using the Heckit model, which avoids the problems of the methodologies applied to date. We propose hypotheses on the effect on the above decisions of tourist characteristics relating to the destination, personal restrictions and socio-demographic and psychographic characteristics. The empirical application, which is carried out in Spain on a sample of 3,781 individuals, finds a two-stage tourist choice process as the expenditure decision is correlated with that of taking a holiday. In addition, these decisions are also explained by individual tourist characteristics. El objetivo de esta investigación consiste descomponer el proceso de elecciónturístico en dos etapas, salir de vacaciones y gasto turístico, utilizando la modelizaciónHeckit que evita los problemas de las metodologías aplicadas hasta la fecha. Para ello,se proponen hipótesis de investigación acerca del efecto en las decisiones anteriores delas características de los turistas relacionadas con el destino, las restriccionespersonales, las características socio-demográficas y psicográficas. La aplicaciónempírica, efectuada en España sobre una muestra de 3.781 individuos, evidencia unproceso de elección turística bietápico ya que la decisión de gasto está correlacionadacon la de salir de vacaciones. Además, estas decisiones vienen explicadas por lascaracterísticas individuales del turista.
    Keywords: Proceso de elección turística bietápica, salir de vacaciones, gastos en turismo, modelo Heckit. Two-stage tourist choice process, going on holiday, tourism expenditures, Heckit model.
    Date: 2004–09
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ivi:wpasec:2004-16&r=dcm
  5. By: Juan A. Máñez (Universitat de València); Juan A. Sanchis Llopis (Universitat de València); María E. Rochina (Universitat de València)
    Abstract: This paper tests the sunk costs explanation for hysteresis in exports using a sample of Spanish manufacturing firms for the period 1990-2000. The data are drawn from the Spanish Encuesta sobre Estrategias Empresariales. To obtain consistent estimates for sunk costs, we control for all other sources of persistence and use a dynamic random effects multivariate probit model that is estimated through pseudo simulated maximum-likelihood techniques. Our results support the sunk costs explanation for hysteresis. Furthermore, regional spillovers and some firm characteristics such as size, productivity or vertical and horizontal product differentiation are found to have a significant influence on the probability of exporting. El objetivo de este artículo es analizar el papel de los costes irrecuperables como factorexplicativo de la histéresis de las exportaciones. Para ello se hace uso de una muestra deempresas industriales españolas para el período 1999-2000, que proviene de la Encuestasobre Estrategias Empresariales. Con el objetivo de obtener estimaciones consistentespara los costes irrecuperables, controlamos por todas las posibles fuentes alternativas depersistencia y estimamos nuestro modelo usando técnicas de pseudo máximaverosimilitud simulada. Nuestros resultados confirman a los costes irrecuperables comocausante de la histéresis de las exportaciones. Adicionalmente, encontramos que lasexternalidades regionales y algunas características empresariales tales como tamaño,productividad o diferenciación horizontal y vertical tienen un impacto significativosobre la probabilidad de exportar.
    Keywords: Histéresis de las exportaciones, costes irrecuperables, modelos dinámicos de elección discrecional hysteresis in trade, sunk costs, dynamic discrete choice models
    JEL: F12 L1 C23 C25
    Date: 2004–09
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ivi:wpasec:2004-17&r=dcm

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