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on Discrete Choice Models |
| By: | Ioanna Arkoudi; Carlos Lima Azevedo; Francisco C. Pereira |
| Abstract: | This study proposes a novel approach that combines theory and data-driven choice models using Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs). In particular, we use continuous vector representations, called embeddings, for encoding categorical or discrete explanatory variables with a special focus on interpretability and model transparency. Although embedding representations within the logit framework have been conceptualized by Camara (2019), their dimensions do not have an absolute definitive meaning, hence offering limited behavioral insights. The novelty of our work lies in enforcing interpretability to the embedding vectors by formally associating each of their dimensions to a choice alternative. Thus, our approach brings benefits much beyond a simple parsimonious representation improvement over dummy encoding, as it provides behaviorally meaningful outputs that can be used in travel demand analysis and policy decisions. Additionally, in contrast to previously suggested ANN-based Discrete Choice Models (DCMs) that either sacrifice interpretability for performance or are only partially interpretable, our models preserve interpretability of the utility coefficients for all the input variables despite being based on ANN principles. The proposed models were tested on two real world datasets and evaluated against benchmark and baseline models that use dummy-encoding. The results of the experiments indicate that our models deliver state-of-the-art predictive performance, outperforming existing ANN-based models while drastically reducing the number of required network parameters. |
| Date: | 2021–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arx:papers:2109.12042&r= |
| By: | Guillermo Gallego; Gerardo Berbeglia |
| Abstract: | Consider a clairvoyant firm that knows the products' valuations of each arriving consumer and offers them only the most profitable product they are willing to buy. How much more can such a firm make relative to a firm that offers all consumers the assortment that maximizes expected revenues? We show that for general discrete choice models, the ratio can be exponential in the number of products, but at most equal to the number of products for random utility models. We show that the ratio is at most 2 for the $\alpha$-shaken multinomial logit ($\alpha$-MNL) which includes the MNL and the general attraction model (GAM) as special cases. We also provide sufficient conditions for the ratio of at most 2 to hold for the latent class MNL, and in fact show that in the limit as the coefficient of variation of the utilities goes to infinity the bound is at most 1.5. For all of these cases the revenue-ordered heuristic yields the stated guarantees relevant to the clairvoyant firm. |
| Date: | 2021–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arx:papers:2109.14861&r= |
| By: | Yihao Luo; Jinhui Pang; Weibin Han; Huafei Sun |
| Abstract: | This paper designs a new choice rule, called the Hodge potential choice, for general abstract games by involving discrete Hodge decomposition. For tournaments as the complete cases of abstract games, we claim that the Hodge potential choice is equivalent to Copeland winner set. For general cases, the Hodge potential choice provides a more reasonable and precise result against traditional methods. Hodge potential choice maintains the essential properties of Copeland winner set, including neutrality, strong monotonicity, cycle independence while it avoids the main disadvantage of Copeland winner set. This paper provides theoretical analysis, a feasible algorithm, examples and several results of digital experiments to show the originality and advantages of the new rule. Furthermore, we extent the method and apply it onto games with marginal utilities. |
| Date: | 2021–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arx:papers:2109.14539&r= |
| By: | André de Palma; Nathalie Picard; Robin Lindsey |
| Abstract: | Households are often responsible for labour supply, time allocation, transportation and many other decisions. Yet, research in both economics and transportation was traditionally dominated by so-called unitary models that treat households as single decision-making units with a representative individual. This began to change with the development, in the field of Economics of the Family, of non-unitary models that recognize differences in household members preferences, and attempt to describe the joint decision making processes within households. Application of non-unitary models took off in the transportation literature with the special issues on modelling intra-household interactions edited by Bhat and Pendyala, 2005 [24] and Timmermans and Zhang, 2009 [113]. This chapter reviews the development of integrated models of household activity and transportation from the perspective of the Economics of the Family. These models have been applied to long-run decisions such as residential and workplace location and vehicle ownership, as well as short-run decisions including activity schedules, transport mode, and departure time. Non-unitary models go well beyond conventional discrete choice models by accounting for individual family members preferences, and within-family decisionmaking processes. The models feature new concepts specific to within-family interactions, including repeated interaction, bargaining, altruism, and Pareto optimality. |
| Keywords: | Economics of the family, Unitary models, Collective models, Couple decision making, Mobility, Residential location, Discrete choice models. |
| JEL: | H31 P25 R41 |
| Date: | 2021 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ulp:sbbeta:2021-37&r= |
| By: | Pauline Lecole (CEE-M - Centre d'Economie de l'Environnement - Montpellier - UMR 5211 - UM - Université de Montpellier - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - Montpellier SupAgro - Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier - Institut Agro - Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement); Raphaële Préget (CEE-M - Centre d'Economie de l'Environnement - Montpellier - UMR 5211 - UM - Université de Montpellier - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - Montpellier SupAgro - Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier - Institut Agro - Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement); Sophie Thoyer (CEE-M - Centre d'Economie de l'Environnement - Montpellier - UMR 5211 - UM - Université de Montpellier - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - Montpellier SupAgro - Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier - Institut Agro - Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement) |
| Abstract: | The 2014 CAP introduced the Small Farmers Scheme (SFS), offering small farms the option of an unconditional annual lump-sum payment per farm replacing the standard first pillar direct payments. This paper assesses the acceptability in France of an extended version of the 2014 SFS for the post-2020 CAP: it includes conditions on farmers' environmental efforts and on salaried employment. The results of a discrete choice experiment conducted at the scale of France with 608 farmers receiving less than 15,000€ in first pillar payments show that an SFS with an environmental certification prerequisite is attractive to French small farmers, notably in the market gardening sector. We provide simulated results of the uptake rate and budgetary impacts of different SFS scenarii on the population of non-retired French farmers based on the last agricultural census.. |
| Keywords: | CAP,small farms,Discrete choice experiments |
| Date: | 2022–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:journl:hal-03349120&r= |
| By: | Pascale Bazoche (SMART-LERECO - Structures et Marché Agricoles, Ressources et Territoires - AGROCAMPUS OUEST - Institut Agro - Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement); Nicolas Guinet (ALISS - Alimentation et sciences sociales - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement); Sylvaine Poret (ALISS - Alimentation et sciences sociales - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement); Sabrina Teyssier (GAEL - Laboratoire d'Economie Appliquée de Grenoble - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement - Grenoble INP - Institut polytechnique de Grenoble - Grenoble Institute of Technology - UGA - Université Grenoble Alpes - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - UGA - Université Grenoble Alpes) |
| Abstract: | A widespread transition towards diets based on plant proteins as substitutes for animal proteins would contribute to food system sustainability. Such changes in consumer food choices can be fostered by public policy. We conducted an online experiment to test whether providing consumers with information regarding the negative consequences of meat consumption on the environment or health increases the substitution of animal-based proteins with plant-based proteins. The consumers had to make three meal selections, the first without exposure to information and the latter two after exposure to environmental or health information. One group of consumers served as the control and received no information. The results show that half of the consumers chose meals with animal proteins in all three cases. The information intervention had a limited impact on the average consumer. However, a latent class analysis shows that the information intervention impacted a sub-sample of the consumers. Information policy does not appear to be sufficient for altering consumer behaviour regarding the consumption of animal proteins. |
| Abstract: | Une transition généralisée vers des régimes alimentaires basés sur les protéines végétales comme substituts des protéines animales contribuerait à la durabilité du système alimentaire. De tels changements dans les choix alimentaires des consommateurs peuvent être encouragés par les politiques publiques. Nous avons mené une expérimentation en ligne pour tester si l'information des consommateurs sur les conséquences négatives de la consommation de viande sur l'envi- ronnement ou la santé augmente la substitution des protéines d'origine animale par des protéines d'origine végétale. Les consommateurs devaient faire trois choix de repas, le premier sans exposition à l'information et les deux derniers après exposition à l'information environnementale ou sanitaire. Un groupe de consommateurs a servi de témoin et n'a reçu aucune information. Les résultats montrent que la moitié des consommateurs ont choisi des repas à base de protéines animales dans les trois cas. L'apport d'information a eu un impact limité sur le consommateur moyen. Cependant, une analyse de classe latente montre que l'intervention informationnelle a eu un impact sur un sous-échantillon de consommateurs. La politique d'information n'apparaît pas suffisante pour modifier le comportement des consommateurs vis-à-vis de la consommation de protéines animales. |
| Keywords: | Experiment,Information,Food consumption,Alternative proteins,Environment,Health,Expérience,Consommation alimentaire,Protéines alternatives,Environnement,Santé |
| Date: | 2021–09–21 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:wpaper:hal-03350356&r= |
| By: | Shira Haderlein |
| Abstract: | This article presents evidence from an online survey experiment exploring how parents evaluate and select schools. Results suggest that achievement matters most to parents and that student demographics affect both parents’ perception of school quality and their likelihood of selecting into a school. |
| Keywords: | experimental survey methods, parent preferences, school choice |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:mpr:mprres:ecd4ea96d3ae4d10844a1f6963006c7a&r= |