Compilation and Analysis of Econometric Data for the Household Behavior in Japan

本研究的动机是经常观察到的纯经济/计量经济学理论的公理系统和理论验证的经验/统计数据之间的深刻差距。本研究以日本劳动力市场中的家庭行为为研究对象，以构建真正的实证理论为最终目标，探索填补这一空白的方法。本研究分为两个阶段，第一阶段主要是前期研讨会，通过文献分析和头脑风暴来验证现有数据。第二阶段是以家庭主妇的行为为中心，对家庭行为的横截面数据进行整理和分析，以形成实证性的理论解释和理论验证为重点。我们从东京和大坂的两个特大城市地区的家庭中随机抽取了1,200个样本。问卷留给这些样本家庭，让他们填写，并在一周后领取。间隔一段时间后重复该方法。两项试验的有效回报率约为70%。结果已被编辑，分析，并存储在磁带上的个人数据的基础上。这些数据包括每月收入、消费和个人每周平均用于工作、休闲、通勤等的时间。磁带可应要求提供。我们还开发了一个用于非线性估计的计算机程序，作为分析所获得数据的工具。这将使我们能够估计家庭生产函数或其双重成本函数。

This study has been motivated by the oft-observed deep gap between the axiomatic system of pure economic/econometric theory and the empirical/statistical data for theory veryfication. The project started with a search for a device to fill this gap by focusing our attention upon the household behavior in the labor market in Japan with the final goal of constructing a genuinely empirical theory in mind.The first stage of our two-stage project consisted mainly of preliminary workshops: literature review for checking with available data and brainstorming for new ideas. The second stage featured compilation and analysis of the cross-sectional data on the household behavior with an emphasis on the housewives' behavior needed for the formation of an empirically interpreted theory as well as theory testing Our 1,200 random samples are chosen from the households in two megalopoleis areas around Tokyo and Osaka. Questionaires were left with these sample households for them to fill out and collected a week later. This method was repeated after an interval. The rate of effective return on both trials amounted to 70% approximately. The results have been edited, analyzed, and stored in the magnetic tape on an individual data basis. The data include the monthly income, consumption and the individual's weekly averages of hours spent on work, leisure, commuting, etc. The magnetic tape will be available upon request.We have also developed a computer program for nonlinear estimation as a tool to analyze the obtained data. This will enable us to estimate the household production function or its dual --- cost function.