Panel Attrition and the Correcting Method for its Biases

Using Multi-Wave Kofu Shopper Panels

Abstract

This paper aims to analyze the sample attrition problem peculiar to a panel survey, especially related to multi-wave attrition biases. The paper also intends to develop a correcting method for those attrition biases and empirically examines an applicability of this method to shopping destination choice behavior. First of all, attrition models are calibrated for several waves in Kofu shopper panels in order to identify the difference in decision structure between the first attrition and the following-step attritions. Secondly, the ordered logit model corresponding to multi-wave attrition process is formulated, and the weighting method for shopping destination choice behavior with those attrition biases is also developed. As a result, it is found from an empirical application that the proposed method is useful for correcting those biases.