A SIMPLE CORRECTION TO REMOVE THE BIAS OF THE GINI COEFFICIENT DUE TO GROUPING

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Van Ourti, Tom; Clarke, Philip
• 署名单位: Erasmus University Rotterdam; Erasmus University Rotterdam - Excl Erasmus MC; University of Sydney; Australian National University
• 刊物名称: REVIEW OF ECONOMICS AND STATISTICS
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0034-6535
• DOI: 10.1162/REST_a_00103
• 发表日期: 2011-08
• 页码: 982-994
• 关键词: income inequality; functional form; poverty; calculate; HEALTH

摘要

We propose a first-order bias correction term for the Gini index to reduce the bias due to grouping. It depends on only the number of individuals in each group and is derived from a measurement error framework. We also provide a formula for the remaining second-order bias. Both Monte Carlo and EU and U. S. empirical evidence show that the first-order correction reduces a considerable share of the bias, but that some remaining second-order bias is increasing in the variance. We propose a procedure that addresses the remaining second-order bias by using additional information.