Title
Simultaneous preference estimation and heterogeneity control for choice-based conjoint via support vector machines.
Abstract
Support vector machines (SVMs) have been successfully used to identify individuals’ preferences in conjoint analysis. One of the challenges of using SVMs in this context is to properly control for preference heterogeneity among individuals to construct robust partworths. In this work, we present a new technique that obtains all individual utility functions simultaneously in a single optimization problem based on three objectives: complexity reduction, model fit, and heterogeneity control. While complexity reduction and model fit are dealt using SVMs, heterogeneity is controlled by shrinking the individual-level partworths toward a population mean. The proposed approach is further extended to kernel-based machines, conferring flexibility to the model by allowing nonlinear utility functions. Experiments on simulated and real-world datasets show that the proposed approach in its linear form outperforms existing methods for choice-based conjoint analysis.
Year
DOI
Venue
2017
10.1057/s41274-016-0013-6
JORS
Keywords
Field
DocType
conjoint analysis, heterogeneity control, support vector machines, OR in marketing, artificial intelligence
Kernel (linear algebra),Population,Conjoint analysis,Nonlinear system,Linear form,Computer science,Support vector machine,Reduction (complexity),Artificial intelligence,Optimization problem,Machine learning
Journal
Volume
Issue
ISSN
68
11
1476-9360
Citations 
PageRank 
References 
1
0.35
14
Authors
3
Name
Order
Citations
PageRank
Julio López112413.49
Sebastián Maldonado250832.45
Ricardo Montoya3363.96