https://doi.org/10.54694/stat.2022.5

Abstract
The fundamental problem with the measurement of preferences is that it not only attempts to measure something that is, by its nature, “unmeasurable”, but also hidden from a direct observation. In addition, a person’s current emotional, material and social situation influences the measurement of preferences resulting from the person’s system of values. The paper is a study on the methodology of preference measurement, a comparison and evaluation of two methods of scale construction. Among various techniques we investigate the two methods: Thurstone procedure for finding scale separations developed by Thurstone and the simplest rank method of scaling. This study examines the relative merits of Thurstone and rank techniques of scale construction.     

Keywords
Preference ranking, Case V, Thurstone model, structure similarity test, input matrix

https://doi.org/10.54694/stat.2022.3

Abstract
Dealing with missing data is a crucial part of everyday data analysis. The IMIC algorithm is a missing data imputation method that can handle mixed numerical and categorical datasets. However, the categorical data are crucial for this work. This paper proposes the new improvement of the IMIC algorithm. The two proposed modifications consider the number of categories in each categorical variable. Based on this information, the factor, which modifies the original measure, is computed. The factor equation is inspired by the Eskin similarity measure that is known in the hierarchical clustering of categorical data. The results show that as the missing value ratio in the dataset grows, better results are achieved using the second modification. The paper also shortly analyzes the advantages and disadvantages of using the IMIC algorithm.    

Keywords
IMIC algorithm, missing value imputation, categorical variables

https://doi.org/10.54694/stat.2022.2

Abstract

In the paper, we present the methodology of calculating the benefit of a marriage reverse annuity using the multiple state model for marriage life insurance. We model the probabilistic structure and cash flows arising from marriage reverse annuity contracts in the case of the joint-life status and the last surviving status assuming that the spouses' future lifetimes are independent. Usually, it is assumed that the interest rate is constant and the same through the years. It is not a realistic assumption. Therefore, this article's purpose is to calculate benefits under the assumption that the interest rate is a stochastic process or a fuzzy number model of the constant interest rate. We conduct a comparative analysis of the amount of benefit (taking into account the different frequency of their payment) for the different models of interest rates.    

Keywords
Stochastic interest rate, fuzzy interest rate, reverse annuity contract, the joint-life status, the last surviving status

https://doi.org/10.54694/stat.2022.14

Abstract
The article deals with the problem of the proper selection of the theoretical distribution to describe the empirical distribution of scanner prices. In the empirical study we use scanner data from one retail chain in Poland, i.e. monthly data on natural yoghurt, drinking yoghurt, long grain rice and coffee powder sold in 212 outlets in January and February 2022. Prices and price relatives were modeled using selected ten probability distributions with non-negative support, including two, three and four-parameter family of distributions In addition to the visual assessment in the form of empirical PDF and CDF figures, numerical criteria were used. These include information criteria values such as AIC, BIC, HQIC and p values calculated for the K-S, AD and CVM goodness-of-fit tests. Our research showed that at least two models could be distinguished as very accurate, which provides a good background for simulation research on price indices or for the construction of so-called population price indices.

Keywords
Data modeling, scanner data, price distributions

https://doi.org/10.54694/stat.2021.44

Abstract
In this paper, the author aims to describe the dissemination of microdata from the population census by National Statistical Offices. This type of data is highly confidential, and approaches to protection vary across the world. National Statistical Offices mostly strive to publish their data as much as possible, but they are bounded by national and international laws to protect the personal data of respondents. The primary goal is mapping the differences between countries and their categorization. Different approaches to microdata availability are described, and various data access approaches are depicted. The information was obtained from publicly available documentation and a survey in which selected statistical offices were contacted. Discovered were that of the 223 countries (including dependent territories), 100 countries have made microdata available for the scientific community, with 30 countries also providing microdata access to the public. This paper presents a mapped overview and aggregated information on the publication of microdata of the population census from around the world.

Keywords
Microdata, population census, statistical disclosure control, confidentiality, public use files, scientific use files

https://doi.org/10.54694/stat.2022.22

Abstract
The aging process of the population is a natural demographic process, which is gaining more and more intensity both in Poland, Czechia and other countries. This is a demographically important issue, as it is related to many aspects of life, such as the social care system, the healthcare system or the pension system. The article presents selected demographic coefficients in the traditional approach, in which the construction of measures is based on determining the participation of elderly people in the total population or reflecting the relationship between different age groups. The article also presents coefficients in potential (static) terms, in which not only the number of age groups is important, but also how many years a person or age group can still survive. The values of population ageing coefficients in terms of potential and traditional demography were calculated on the example of Poland and Czechia.  

Keywords
Demography, population ageing, traditional demographic, potential demography

https://doi.org/10.54694/stat.2021.26

Abstract
Financial intermediation services indirectly measured, or simply FISIM, is an adjustment made in national accounts which constitutes significant element in output of the financial institutions. Therefore, the methodological aspects of this adjustment are still broadly discussed issue.
In case of the Czech Republic, the institution responsible for the estimation is the Czech Statistical Office. The paper deeply analyses the approach of this institution and compare it with opinions of many authors. Based on this literature research, the aim of this paper is to propose improvements in the current estimation and find out other options how to estimate the most accurate value of FISIM. 

Keywords
National accounts, FISIM, methodology, Czech Statistical Office, production, interests