Plant-Level Productivity and Imputation of Missing Data in the Census of Manufactures
24 Pages Posted: 11 Feb 2011
Date Written: January 1, 2011
Abstract
In the U.S. Census of Manufactures, the Census Bureau imputes missing values using a combination of mean imputation, ratio imputation, and conditional mean imputation. It is well-known that imputations based on these methods can result in underestimation of variability and potential bias in multivariate inferences. We show that this appears to be the case for the existing imputations in the Census of Manufactures. We then present an alternative strategy for handling the missing data based on multiple imputation. Specifically, we impute missing values via sequences of classification and regression trees, which offer a computationally straightforward and flexible approach for semi-automatic, large-scale multiple imputation. We also present an approach to evaluating these imputations based on posterior predictive checks. We use the multiple imputations, and the imputations currently employed by the Census Bureau, to estimate production function parameters and productivity dispersions. The results suggest that the two approaches provide quite different answers about productivity.
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation
Do you have negative results from your research you’d like to share?
Recommended Papers
-
Reallocation, Firm Turnover, and Efficiency: Selection on Productivity or Profitability?
By Lucia Foster, John Haltiwanger, ...
-
Reallocation, Firm Turnover, and Efficiency: Selection on Productivity or Profitability?
By Lucia Foster, John Haltiwanger, ...
-
Measuring and Explaining Management Practices Across Firms and Countries
By Nicholas Bloom and John Van Reenen
-
Measuring and Explaining Management Practices Across Firms and Countries
By John Van Reenen and Nicholas Bloom
-
Measuring and Explaining Management Practices Across Firms and Countries
By Nicholas Bloom and John Van Reenen
-
Measuring and Explaining Management Practices Across Firms and Countries
By Nicholas Bloom and John Van Reenen
-
Management Practices Across Firms and Countries
By Nicholas Bloom, Christos Genakos, ...
-
Inside the Family Firm: The Role of Families in Succession Decisions and Performance
By Morten Bennedsen, Kasper Meisner Nielsen, ...
-
Inside the Family Firm: The Role of Families in Succession Decisions and Performance
By Morten Bennedsen, Kasper Meisner Nielsen, ...