Application of Balanced Sampling, Non-Response and Calibrated Estimator

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to study the interplay between balanced sampling, non-response and calibratedestimator by simulation. The results of seven strategies, embracing a combination of balanced sampling via the cubemethod, simple random cluster sampling, adjustment for non-response, Horvitz–Thompson estimator of the total andcalibration of design weights, are compared. Auxiliary information is used for all strategies at least at one of the stages(sampling or estimation). This auxiliary information consists of indicator variables for sex, age groups and urban/ruralliving area, and their totals. Real Labour Force Survey data of Statistics Lithuania are used for simulation. Bias, varianceand relative mean squared error are measures of accuracy for the comparison of results.

Keywords

• auxiliary information
• adjustment for non-response
• cube method
• simulation