We show in this paper that spatial dependence and spatial heterogeneity matter in the estimation of the b-convergence process among 138 European regions over the 1980-1995 period. Using spatial econometrics tools, we detect both spatial dependence and spatial heterogeneity in the form of...

The vast majority of spatial econometric research relies on the assumption that the spatial network structure is known a priori. This study considers a two-step estimation strategy for estimating the n(n..1) interaction effects in a spatial autoregressive panel model where the spatial dimension...

The vast majority of spatial econometric research relies on the assumption that the spatial network structure is known a priori. This study considers a two-step estimation strategy for estimating the <em>n(n-1)</em> interaction effects in a spatial autoregressive panel model where the spatial dimension...

The Ramsey regression equation specification error test (RESET) furnishes a diagnostic for omitted variables in a linear regression model specification (i.e., the null hypothesis is no omitted variables). Integer powers of fitted values from a regression analysis are introduced as additional...

In many microeconometric models we use distances. For instance, in modelling the individual behavior in labor economics or in health studies, the distance from a relevant point of interest (such as a hospital or a workplace) is often used as a predictor in a regression framework. However, in...

We consider the problem of testing for a structural break in the spatial lag parameter in a panel model (spatial autoregressive). We propose a likelihood ratio test of the null hypothesis of no break against the alternative hypothesis of a single break. The limiting distribution of the test is...

In a former study (Carvalho 1995) we modeled the housing market in Portugal in a classic cross section framework and did find that housing construction was dependant from income, population and sensitive to location. Nevertheless we couldn<92>t find the extent of this sensitivity in such a...</92>

The integrated nested Laplace approximation (INLA) for Bayesian inference is an efficient approach to estimate the posterior marginal distributions of the parameters and latent effects of Bayesian hierarchical models that can be expressed as latent Gaussian Markov random fields (GMRF). The...

Hospital emergency departments are often overused by patients that do not really need urgent care. These admissions are one of the major factors contributing to hospital costs, which should not be allowed to compromise the response and effectiveness of the National Health Services (SNS). The aim...