Towards Small Area Estimation At Statistics Netherlands

摘要

Official releases produced by Statistics Netherlands are predominantly based on design-based or model-assisted estimation procedures. In the case of small sample sizes, however, model-based procedures can be used to improve the precision of these design-based estimators. In this paper two lines of model-based small area estimation are discussed: the use of linear mixed models to borrow strength from other areas and multivariate time series models to borrow strength from both previous time periods and other areas. The different approaches are applied to the estimation of annual and monthly unemployment figures. It is discussed how these model-based approaches can be further developed before they are implemented in the regular survey process to compile official releases.