Specification issues in a generalised random parameters attribute nonattendance model

Andrew Collins, John Rose () and David Hensher

Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, 2013, vol. 56, issue C, 234-253

Abstract: An extensive literature has recognised that when travel choices are made, only a subset of the attributes of the choice alternatives may be considered or attended to by each decision maker. Numerous econometric approaches have been employed to identify attribute nonattendance (ANA), with the most prevalent in the literature being an adaptation of the latent class model. However, the two latent class structures so far employed either incur a potentially very high parametric cost, or rely on an assumption that nonattendance is independent across all attributes. We present a generalised model that allows for an arbitrary degree of correlation of nonattendance across attributes. In the presented stated choice study investigating short haul flights, this generalised model outperforms the existing approaches. Like two recent papers, the model handles both ANA and preference heterogeneity by combining continuously distributed random parameters with latent classes. However, we present recommendations regarding a number of identification issues stemming from the combination of these two forms of random parameters not covered in those papers. Further, covariates can be introduced into our generalised model to allow insights to be gained into ANA behaviour. We investigate stated ANA as a covariate, and find inferred ANA rates to be more aligned with stated ANA responses than alternative methods.

Keywords: Attribute nonattendance; Random parameters attribute nonattendance model; Latent class model; Random parameters logit (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2013
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (21)

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0191261513001318
Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:transb:v:56:y:2013:i:c:p:234-253

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/supportfaq.cws_home/regional
https://shop.elsevie ... _01_ooc_1&version=01

DOI: 10.1016/j.trb.2013.08.001

Access Statistics for this article

Transportation Research Part B: Methodological is currently edited by Fred Mannering

More articles in Transportation Research Part B: Methodological from Elsevier
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Catherine Liu ().