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Optimally-Transported Generalized Method of Moments

Susanne Schennach, Vincent Starck

arXiv 7 Nov 2025 · Econometrics · publishedEconometrica (2026) · 1 citations (OpenAlex)

arXiv:2511.05712 · PDF · DOI · OpenAlex · Extracted main text

Abstract

We propose a novel optimal transport-based version of the Generalized Method of Moment (GMM). Instead of handling overidentification by reweighting the data to satisfy the moment conditions (as in Generalized Empirical Likelihood methods), this method proceeds by allowing for errors in the variables of the least mean-square magnitude necessary to simultaneously satisfy all moment conditions. This approach, based on the notions of optimal transport and Wasserstein metric, aims to address the problem of assigning a logical interpretation to GMM results even when overidentification tests reject the null, a situation that cannot always be avoided in applications. We illustrate the method by revisiting Duranton, Morrow and Turner's (2014) study of the relationship between a city's exports and the extent of its transportation infrastructure. Our results corroborate theirs under weaker assumptions and provide insight into the error structure of the variables.

Citation extraction

36
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67
in-text mentions
36
distinct cited
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9,052
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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
1W. Newey and R. J. Smith (2004) Higher-Order Properties of GMM and Generalized Empirical Likelihood Estimators0.92843100%
2Masten, Matthew A and Poirier, Alexandre (2021) Salvaging falsified instrumental variable models0.8947471%
3Duranton, Gilles and Morrow, Peter M and Turner, Matthew A (2014) Roads and Trade: Evidence from the US0.87482100%
4W. Newey and D. McFadden Large Sample Estimation and Hypothesis Testing0.8435360%
5F. Santambrogio Optimal Transport for Applied Mathematicians0.73732100%
6C. Villani Optimal transport: Old and New0.73732100%
7J. Blanchet and K. Murthy and N. Si Confidence regions inWasserstein distributionally robust estimation0.64422100%
8A. Chesher The Effect of Measurement Error0.64422100%
9T. G. Conley and C. B. Hansen and P. E. Rossi Plausibly Exogenous0.64422100%
10T. Christensen and B. Connault Counterfactual Sensitivity and Robustness0.64422100%

Showing the top 10 of 36 scored citations.

Cited by, within the corpus

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

Citing paperIntensityMentionsSections
1Network-Adjusted GMM Estimation under Network Uncertainty0.73732
2An econometrician's guide to optimal transport0.58531
3Who With Whom? Learning Optimal Matching Policies0.40511
4Inference in partially identified moment models via regularized optimal transport0.40511
5Distributional Change in Ordinal Data with Missing Observations: Minimal Mobility and Partial Identification0.40511