Opsomer, J. D.; Claeskens, G.; Ranalli, M. G.; Kauermann, G. - In: Journal of the Royal Statistical Society Series B 70 (2008) 1, pp. 265-286
The paper proposes a small area estimation approach that combines small area random effects with a smooth, non-parametrically specified trend. By using penalized splines as the representation for the non-parametric trend, it is possible to express the non-parametric small area estimation problem...