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Synthetic Decomposition for Counterfactual Predictions

Nathan Canen, Kyungchul Song

arXiv 11 Jul 2023 · Econometrics

arXiv:2307.05122 · PDF · DOI · OpenAlex · Extracted main text

Abstract

Counterfactual predictions are challenging when the policy variable goes beyond its pre-policy support. However, in many cases, information about the policy of interest is available from different ("source") regions where a similar policy has already been implemented. In this paper, we propose a novel method of using such data from source regions to predict a new policy in a target region. Instead of relying on extrapolation of a structural relationship using a parametric specification, we formulate a transferability condition and construct a synthetic outcome-policy relationship such that it is as close as possible to meeting the condition. The synthetic relationship weighs both the similarity in distributions of observables and in structural relationships. We develop a general procedure to construct asymptotic confidence intervals for counterfactual predictions and prove its asymptotic validity. We then apply our proposal to predict average teenage employment in Texas following a counterfactual increase in the minimum wage.

Citation extraction

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Most heavily cited references

The works this paper leans on most, across its whole bibliography — not restricted to papers in our corpus. Ranked by composite intensity, which combines how often a work is mentioned, how many sections mention it, and how much of that falls in the main text rather than the appendix.

ReferenceIntensityMentionsSectionsMain text
1Ahn, Arcidiacono, and Wessels (2011) The Distributional Impacts of Minimum Wage Increases when both Labor Supply and Labor Demand are Endogenous0.69391100%
2Neumark (2019) The Econometrics and Economics of the Employment Effects of Minimum Wages: Getting from Known Unknowns to Known Knowns0.69371100%
3Hotz, Imbens, and Mortimer (2005) Predicting the Efficacy of Future Training Programs Using Past Experiences at Other Locations0.69361100%
4Flinn (2006) Minimum Wage Effects on Labor Market Outcomes Under Search, Matching, and Endogenous Contact Rates0.69351100%
5Hahn and Liao (2021) Bootstrap Standard Error Estimates and Inference0.69351100%
6Wolpin (2013) The Limits of Inference Without Theory0.69351100%
7Canen and Song (2025) Simple Inference on a Simplex-Valued Weight0.64441100%
8Athey, Chetty, and Imbens (2020) Combining Experimental and Observational Data to Estimate Treatment Effects on Long Term Outcomes0.58531100%
9DiNardo, Fortin, and Lemieux (1996) Labor Market Institutions and the Distribution of Wages, 1973-1992: A Semiparametric Approach0.58531100%
10Hartman, Grieve, Ramsahai, and Sekhon (2015) From Sample Average Treatment Effect to Population Average Treatment Effect on the Treated: Combining Experimental with Observat…0.58531100%

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Cited by, within the corpus

arXiv econ.EM papers that cite this one, ranked by how heavily they lean on it.

Citing paperIntensityMentionsSections
1Testing Information Ordering for Strategic Agents0.40511