Simulation tools for small area estimation: Introducing the R package saeSim

Abstract

The demand for reliable regional estimates from sample surveys has substantially grown over the last decades. Small area estimation provides statistical methods to pro­duce reliable predictions when the sample sizes in specific regions are too small to apply direct estimators. Model- and design-based simulations are used to gain insights into the quality of the methods utilized. In this article we present a framework which may help to support the reproducibility of simulation studies in articles and during research. The R package saeSim is adjusted to provide a simulation environment for the special case of small area estimation. The package may allow the prospective researcher during the research process to produce simulation studies with minimal coding effort.