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On the parameters of Zenga distribution

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  • Alberto Arcagni
  • Francesco Porro

Abstract

In 2010 Zenga introduced a new three-parameter model for distributions by size that can be used to represent income, wealth, financial and actuarial variables. This paper proposes a summary of its main properties, followed by a focus on the interpretation of the parameters in terms of inequality. The scale parameter μ is equal to the expectation, and it does not affect the inequality, while the two shape parameters α and θ are inverse and direct inequality indicators respectively. This result is obtained through stochastic orders based on inequality curves. A procedure to generate a random sample from Zenga distribution is also proposed. The second part of this article looks at the parameter estimation. Analytical solution of method of moments is obtained. This result is used as a starting point of numerical procedures to obtain maximum likelihood estimates both on ungrouped and grouped data. In the application, three empirical income distributions are considered and the aforementioned estimates are evaluated. A comparison with other well-known models is provided, by the evaluation of three goodness-of-fit indexes. Copyright Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2013

Suggested Citation

  • Alberto Arcagni & Francesco Porro, 2013. "On the parameters of Zenga distribution," Statistical Methods & Applications, Springer;Società Italiana di Statistica, vol. 22(3), pages 285-303, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:stmapp:v:22:y:2013:i:3:p:285-303
    DOI: 10.1007/s10260-012-0219-y
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Singh, S K & Maddala, G S, 1976. "A Function for Size Distribution of Incomes," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 44(5), pages 963-970, September.
    2. Christian Kleiber, 2008. "A Guide to the Dagum Distributions," Economic Studies in Inequality, Social Exclusion, and Well-Being, in: Duangkamon Chotikapanich (ed.), Modeling Income Distributions and Lorenz Curves, chapter 6, pages 97-117, Springer.
    3. James B. McDonald & Michael Ransom, 2008. "The Generalized Beta Distribution as a Model for the Distribution of Income: Estimation of Related Measures of Inequality," Economic Studies in Inequality, Social Exclusion, and Well-Being, in: Duangkamon Chotikapanich (ed.), Modeling Income Distributions and Lorenz Curves, chapter 8, pages 147-166, Springer.
    4. James B. McDonald, 2008. "Some Generalized Functions for the Size Distribution of Income," Economic Studies in Inequality, Social Exclusion, and Well-Being, in: Duangkamon Chotikapanich (ed.), Modeling Income Distributions and Lorenz Curves, chapter 3, pages 37-55, Springer.
    5. Barry C. Arnold, 2008. "Pareto and Generalized Pareto Distributions," Economic Studies in Inequality, Social Exclusion, and Well-Being, in: Duangkamon Chotikapanich (ed.), Modeling Income Distributions and Lorenz Curves, chapter 7, pages 119-145, Springer.
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    2. Trzcińska Kamila, 2020. "Analysis of Household Income in Poland Based on the Zenga Distribution and Selected Income Inequality Measure," Folia Oeconomica Stetinensia, Sciendo, vol. 20(1), pages 421-436, June.
    3. Vladimir Hlasny, 2021. "Parametric representation of the top of income distributions: Options, historical evidence, and model selection," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 35(4), pages 1217-1256, September.
    4. Trzcińska Kamila & Zalewska Elżbieta, 2023. "A Comparative Analysis of Household Incomes of People with Different Levels of Education in Poland and the USA," Folia Oeconomica Stetinensia, Sciendo, vol. 23(2), pages 387-401, December.
    5. Greselin, Francesca & Zitikis, Ricardas, 2015. "Measuring economic inequality and risk: a unifying approach based on personal gambles, societal preferences and references," MPRA Paper 65892, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    6. Francesca Greselin & Ričardas Zitikis, 2018. "From the Classical Gini Index of Income Inequality to a New Zenga-Type Relative Measure of Risk: A Modeller’s Perspective," Econometrics, MDPI, vol. 6(1), pages 1-20, January.
    7. Małgorzata Ćwiek & Kamila Trzcińska, 2023. "Assessment of goodness of fit of income distribution in France and Germany based on the Zenga distribution," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 57(5), pages 4013-4027, October.

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