Thesis (M.Sc.) - Cairo University - Institute of Statistical Studies and Research - Department of Statistics and Econometrics

The thesis is concerned with estimating parameters of the demand system for twelve major consumer groups in Egypt. This is the first time a study has been done on that scale. The results are encouraging, but a lot more work remains to do for a complete understanding of the pattern of Egyptian household expenditure. The data used in this study depend on household Income, expenditure and consumption survey (HIECS) and consumer price index (CPI). The results are obtained by using the linear approximate almost ideal demand system (LA/AIDS) and addilog model. The thesis estimated LA/AIDS system using iterated seemingly unrelated regressions (ISUR) method with the homogeneity and symmetry conditions imposed, in addition estimate the unconstraint LA/AIDS and the addilog model by ordinary least squares (OLS) method. The estimates of expenditure coefficients in the LA/AIDS system classify food and housing and fuels groups only as necessities while the other commodities are luxuries. Also, the expenditure elasticity in three models is positive, which suggest that major of groups are normal or luxury groups. Based on the Marshallian price elasticity in the unrestricted model, the highest sensitivity is the communications group and the lowest is miscellaneous group, the communications stills the highest sensitivity in the restricted model and the lowest is clothing and footwear group

Issued also as CD