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Influence functions for distributional statistics

Author

Listed:
  • B. Essama-Nssah

    (World Bank Group)

  • Peter J. Lambert

    (University of Oregon)

Abstract

Social evaluation functions used in policy impact analysis can be viewed as real-valued functionals of the underlying outcome distributions. Influence functions may be used to identify the sources of variation in social outcomes in terms of individual or household characteristics. This paper sets forth in clear terms the definition of the influence function and recentered influence function, and catalogs these functions for a wide range of distributional statistics, including measures of central tendency, inequality and poverty and also measures of the degree of pro-poorness of a shock- or policy-induced change in income levels.

Suggested Citation

  • B. Essama-Nssah & Peter J. Lambert, 2011. "Influence functions for distributional statistics," Working Papers 236, ECINEQ, Society for the Study of Economic Inequality.
    • Handle: RePEc:inq:inqwps:ecineq2011-236
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    File URL: http://www.ecineq.org/milano/WP/ECINEQ2011-236.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Bhalotra, Sonia & Fernandez, Manuel & Wang, Fan, 2022. "The Distribution of the Gender Wage Gap: An Equilibrium Model," CEPR Discussion Papers 17253, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    3. Ziqing Dong & Yves Tillé & Giovanni M. Giorgi & Alessio Guandalini, 2021. "Linearization and variance estimation of the Bonferroni inequality index," Journal of the Royal Statistical Society Series A, Royal Statistical Society, vol. 184(3), pages 1008-1029, July.
    4. Clementi, Fabio & Molini, Vasco & Schettino, Francesco, 2018. "All that Glitters is not Gold: Polarization Amid Poverty Reduction in Ghana," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 102(C), pages 275-291.
    5. Fernández, Manuel & Messina, Julián, 2018. "Skill premium, labor supply, and changes in the structure of wages in Latin America," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 135(C), pages 555-573.
    6. Peter Lindner, 2015. "Factor decomposition of the wealth distribution in the euro area," Empirica, Springer;Austrian Institute for Economic Research;Austrian Economic Association, vol. 42(2), pages 291-322, May.
    7. David (David Patrick) Madden, 2018. "Changes in BMI in a Cohort of Irish Children: Some Decompositions and Counterfactuals," Working Papers 201802, School of Economics, University College Dublin.
    8. Essama-Nssah, B., 2012. "Identification of sources of variation in poverty outcomes," Policy Research Working Paper Series 5954, The World Bank.
    9. David Madden, 2018. "Bridging the gaps: inequalities in children’s educational outcomes in Ireland," The Journal of Economic Inequality, Springer;Society for the Study of Economic Inequality, vol. 16(1), pages 103-122, March.
    10. Fernandez Sierra, Manuel & Messina, Julián, 2017. "Skill Premium, Labor Supply and Changes in the Structure of Wages in Latin America," IZA Discussion Papers 10718, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA).
    11. Bhalotra, Sonia R & Fernández, Manuel & Wang, Fan, 2022. "The distribution of the gender wage gap : An equilibrium model," CAGE Online Working Paper Series 614, Competitive Advantage in the Global Economy (CAGE).
    12. Petra Sauer & Philippe Van Kerm & Daniele Checchi, 2023. "Higher Education Expansion & Labour Income Inequality in High-income Countries: A Gender-specific Perspective," LIS Working papers 837, LIS Cross-National Data Center in Luxembourg.
    13. Reilly Barry & Sam Hannah, 2022. "The distributional impact of the Sierra Leone conflict on household welfare," IZA Journal of Development and Migration, Sciendo & Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit GmbH (IZA), vol. 13(1), pages 1-41, January.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Influence function; robust statistic; distributional statistic; inequality; poverty; social evaluation.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C18 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods and Methodology: General - - - Methodolical Issues: General
    • C54 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric Modeling - - - Quantitative Policy Modeling

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