Deja vu and differential timing
A humble attempt at a Boruysak, Jaravel and Spiess (2021) explainer
“At some level, all methods for causal inference can be viewed as imputation methods, although some more explicitly than others.” (Imbens and Rubin 2015)
Kirill Borusyak (UCL), Xavier Jaravel (LSE) and Jann Spiess (Stanford) 2021 “Revisiting Event Study Designs: Robust and Efficient Estimation”.
Introduction
A new working paper on the econometric challenges of and solutions to difference-in-differences with differential timing designs dropped this week. For some people, parts of the paper will feel familiar; for others, it will offer new insights and new solutions to extremely important research challenges. I often experienced deja vu while reading it as my feelings traveled through familiar territory into unfamiliar places. Because of the important points it raises and the tools it provides, I predict the paper will become as commonly known as any of the new difference-in-differences papers and for years to come.
But perhaps you’re asking yourself — why? Why do we need another econom…
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