Statistical methods

In AKF a series of statistical methods are used, especially:

• econometric methods
• regional economic models
• input-output models

Statistical methods in akf’s research

AKF uses statistical methods for instance in connection with research projects on integration of immigrants, young people's choice of education, the importance of school resources, social inheritance, the effects of an active employment and social policy, imbalance on the labour market, coherence between labour-market attachment and health, valuation of landscapes and noise, liberalisation of energy markets, consumption of organic and environmentally labelled goods, development in municipal economies and municipal differences in expenses, service, taxation and economic basis.

Advantages in statistical methods

Statistical or econometric methods are typically used for estimating a given causal connection, for instance in order to calculate the effect one or more items have on other items. One advantage of statistical or econometric methods is that it is possible to take into account a series of circumstances and it is possible to "isolate" the connection which we are interested in analysing.

Effective utilisation of large amounts of data

Statistical methods provide good opportunities for effective utilisation of large amounts of data which exist in the form of e.g. register data and questionnaires. When a context is analysed it is for instance possible to take into account many other conditions which also influence the context, and it is possible to look at the context on the basis of a comprehensive number of individuals.

Data for the same people for several years

Through the Danish civil registration system AKF has access to data for the same people covering several years. This makes it possible to take into account that people are different also regarding conditions for which we have no data, e.g. motivation, special abilities etc. In this way we can obtain more true and fair estimates of the analysed contexts.