This paper is concerned with estimating the additive components of a nonparametric additive quantile regression model. We develop an estimator that is asymptotically normally distributed with a rate of convergence in probability of $n^{-r/(2r+1)}$ when the additive components are $r$-times...

In this paper, local relationship between per capita health expenditure and GDP is investigated with local quantile regressions. The advantage of using local quantile regressions is the assumption of homogeneity on per capita health care expenditure could be relaxed so that number of countries...

This paper estimates return to schooling for african and coloured women in South Africa. It compares parametric and semiparametric estimates of the sample selection model for the case of return to schooling. The parametric estimator is the one proposed by Heckman (1979) and the semiparametric...

A method of principal components is employed to investigate nonlinear dynamic factor structure using a large panel data. The evidence suggests the possibility of nonlinearity in the U.S. while it excludes the class of nonlinearity that can generate endogenous fluctuation or chaos

Quantile regression (QR) methods fit a linear model for conditional quantiles, just as ordinary least squares (OLS) regression estimates a linear model for conditional means. An attractive feature of the OLS estimator is that it gives a minimum mean square error approximation to the conditional...

There is conflicting evidence regarding the recent evolution of unemployment duration in the U.S. In this study we rely on censored quantile regression methods to analyze the changes in the US unemployment duration distribution. We employed the decomposition method proposed by Machado and Mata...

One of the lessons of the treatment effects literature is the lack of consensus about the ability of statistical and econometric methods to replicate experimental estimates. In this paper, we provide new evidence using an unusual unemployment insurance experiment that allows the identification...

This paper presents calculations of semiparametric efficiency bounds for quantile treatment effects parameters when selection to treatment is based on observable characteristics. The paper also presents three estimation procedures for these parameters, all of which have two steps: a...

This paper proposes a normative theory of constitutional rules. We characterize the set of optimal constitutional rules under different assumptions about the degree of contractual imperfections. Our model explains why constitutions contain different types of rules. In particular, we derive...

We use data from Texas liquor referenda to evaluate the performance of the pivotal-voter theory of voter turnout. We structurally estimate the parameters of a pivotal-voter model using the referendum data. We then use the estimates to evaluate the out of sample performance of the model. Finally,...