Pseudo-likelihood estimation and bootstrap inference for structural discrete Markov decision models

摘要

This paper analyzes the higher-order properties of the estimators based on the nested pseudo-likelihood (NPL) algorithm and the practical implementation of such estimators for parametric discrete Markov decision models. We derive the rate at which theNPL algorithm converges to the MLE and provide a theoretical explanation for the simulation results in Aguirregabiria and Mira [Aguirregabiria, V., Mira, P., 2002. Swapping the nested fixed point algorithm: A class of estimators for discrete Markov decision models. Econometrica 70,1519-1543], in which iterating the NPL algorithm improves the accuracy of the estimator. We then propose a new NPL algorithm that can achieve quadratic convergence without fully solving the fixed point problem in every iteration and apply our estimation procedure to a finite mixture model. We also develop one-step NPL bootstrap procedures for discrete Markov decision models. The Monte Carlo simulation evidence based on a machine replacement model of Rust [Rust,]., 1987. Optimal replacement of CMC bus engines: An empirical model of Harold Zurcher. Econometrica 55, 999-1033] shows that the proposed one-step bootstrap test statistics and confidence intervals improve upon the first order asymptotics even with a relatively smallnumber of iterations.