Recipient Organization
CORNELL UNIVERSITY
(N/A)
ITHACA,NY 14853
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
We examine nonmarket valuation using data from geospatially referenced cell phone locations. These mobility data have the potential to revolutionize recreation modeling and benefit transfer while alleviating the high cost and sample selection challenges inherent in traditional surveys. This data also allows new lines of inquiry due to its extensive geographic coverage and panel nature. However, this data presents new challenges regarding best practices and comparability, representativeness, and validity of findings.
Animal Health Component
50%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
50%
Applied
50%
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
Our project focuses on the following goals: (1) assess the benefits, limitations, and validity of using cell phone mobility data for recreation modeling; (2) develop standardized methods and a set of best-practice protocols for using mobility data in primary data and benefit transfer contexts; (3) undertake applications to value ecosystem services at large geographic scales and in heretofore difficult contexts; and (4) leverage new opportunities from mobility data to address long standing challenges valuation including extent of the market, habit formation, and dynamic responses.
Project Methods
The methods employed in this research include recreation, demand models, specifically discrete, choice, models of optimization behavior, convergent to validity, tests of differences between two different approaches for estimating the same economic context, and the calculation of consumer surplus to represent prioritization of welfare gains from investing in alternative preservation options.