A New Calibration Estimator of Population Mean for Small Area with Nonresponse

This paper considered the challenges of population mean estimation in small area that is characterized by small or no sample size in the presence of unit nonresponse and presents a calibration estimator that produces reliable estimates under stratified random sampling from a class of synthetic estimators using calibration approach with alternative distance measure. Examining the proposed estimator relatively with existing ones under three distributional assumptions: normal, gamma, and exponential distributions with percent average absolute relative bias, percent average coefficient of variation, and average mean squared error as evaluation criteria using simulation analysis technique, the new estimator exhibited a more reliable estimate of the mean with less bias and greater gain in efficiency. Further evaluation using coefficient of variation under varying nonresponse rates to validate the results of variations suggests that the estimator is a suitable alternative for small area estimation. This finding has therefore contributed to the development of an ultimate estimator for small area estimation in the presence of unit nonresponse.