Group-level variance estimates of zero often arise when fitting multilevel or hierarchical linear models, especially when the number of groups is small. For situations where zero variances are implausible a priori, we propose a maximum penalized likelihood approach to avoid such boundary...

When fitting hierarchical regression models, maximum likelihood (ML) estimation has computational (and, for some users, philosophical) advantages compared to full Bayesian inference, but when the number of groups is small, estimates of the covariance matrix (Σ) of group-level varying...

In this paper we consider a multidimensional renewal risk model with regularly varying claims. This model may be used to describe the surplus of an insurance company possessing several lines of business where a large claim possibly puts multiple lines in a risky condition. Conditional on the...

This dissertation consists of three essays of empirical industrial organization. Chapter one applies the Becker-Murphy (1988) theory of rational addiction to the case of carbonated soft drinks, using a time-varying parameter model and scanner data from 46 U.S. cities. The empirical results show...

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present a new model to empirically analyze retail pricing dynamics led by the competition between retailers, using fluid milk markets of three US metropolitan areas as a case study. The research is important for Chinese public policy makers to find the...

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to apply the Becker-Murphy theory of rational addiction to the case of carbonated soft drinks. The research aims to reveal the rational addiction evidence of carbonated soft drinks and derive policy implications under this evidence. Consumers' rational...

This article quantifies the impact of Wal-Mart Supercenters on supermarkets’ profitability via a two-stage dynamic entry game, using method of simulated moments and milk scanner data from Dallas/Fort Worth supermarkets. The empirical findings show that the entry of Wal-Mart Supercenters...

The Impact of Wal-Mart Supercenters on Supermarkets’ Profit Margins. XIAOOU LIU (Email: xiaoou2010@gmail.com, School of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development, Renmin University of China, Beijing, China 100872) RIGOBERTO LOPEZ (Professor and Department Head, Department of Agricultural...

This paper explores how lowering consumer search costs based on labeling formats affects the probability of choosing healthy foods. We propose a theoretical model of the links between information costs and consumer choices of healthy foods and empirically test the ensuing propositions with...

This paper analyzes the impact of diabetes awareness on labor income using data from a natural experiment in China. We find that diabetes in general leads to a 16.3% decrease in annual income after people being diagnosed, and the adverse impact is heterogeneous across different populations.