Bringing the minimal important difference (MID) into economic reasoning allows decision-makers to step beyond mere numbers and ponder whether a given policy affects people substantially. A drop in the unemployment rate that shows up as statistically solid might not be noteworthy at all. Benchmarks are often absent from cost–benefit analyses, which impacts reports, ultimately leading to wrong decision-making. The chapter discusses the difference between statistical significance and economic significance. Also, differences-in-differences (DiD) analysis is discussed. DiD has become a staple in policy circles because it pairs simple pre–post comparisons while controlling for confounders. In public-health and environmental–economics circles, the notion of willingness to pay (WTP) can be related to the MID. Both numbers aim to answer a simple question: what small improvement “feels” worth the money. That makes WTP estimates a staple in cost–benefit analyses.

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Economics, Economic Policy, Environmental Economics, Finance, and Health Economics

  • István Fekete

摘要

Bringing the minimal important difference (MID) into economic reasoning allows decision-makers to step beyond mere numbers and ponder whether a given policy affects people substantially. A drop in the unemployment rate that shows up as statistically solid might not be noteworthy at all. Benchmarks are often absent from cost–benefit analyses, which impacts reports, ultimately leading to wrong decision-making. The chapter discusses the difference between statistical significance and economic significance. Also, differences-in-differences (DiD) analysis is discussed. DiD has become a staple in policy circles because it pairs simple pre–post comparisons while controlling for confounders. In public-health and environmental–economics circles, the notion of willingness to pay (WTP) can be related to the MID. Both numbers aim to answer a simple question: what small improvement “feels” worth the money. That makes WTP estimates a staple in cost–benefit analyses.