We show how to quickly estimate spatial probit models for large data sets using maximum likelihood. Like Beron and Vijverberg (2004), we use the GHK (Geweke-Hajivassiliou-Keene) algorithm to perform maximum simulated likelihood estimation. However, using the GHK for large sample sizes has been...

There is near universal agreement that estimates and inferences from spatial regression models are sensitive to particular specifications used for the spatial weight structure in these models. We find little theoretical basis for this commonly held belief, if estimates and inferences are based...

Socio-economic interrelationships among regions can be measured in terms of economic flows, migration, or physical geographically-based measures, such as distance or length of shared areal unit boundaries. In general, proximity and openness tend to favour a similar economic performance among...

Spatial econometrics has recently been appraised in a theme issue of the Journal of Regional Science. Partridge et al. (2012) provide an overview of the three contributing papers, the most critical being Gibbons and Overman (2012). Although some of the critiques raised are valid, they are issues...

We investigate the finite-sample bias of the quasi-maximum likelihood estimator (QMLE) in spatial autoregressive models with possible exogenous regressors. We derive the approximate bias result of the QMLE in terms of model parameters and also the moments (up to order 4) of the error...

We investigate the finite sample properties of the maximum likelihood estimator for the spatial autoregressive model. A stochastic expansion of the score function is used to develop the second-order bias and mean squared error of the maximum likelihood estimator. We show that the results can be...

The likelihood functions for spatial autoregressive models with normal but heteroskedastic disturbances have been derived [Anselin (1988, ch.6)], but there is no implementation of maximum likelihood estimation for these likelihood functions in general cases with heteroskedastic disturbances....