A pair of novel priors for improving and extending the conditional MLE

Abstract

A Bayesian estimator aiming at improving the conditional MLE is proposed by introducing a pair of priors. After explaining the conditional MLE by the posterior mode under a prior, we define a promising estimator by the posterior mean under a corresponding prior. The prior is asymptotically equivalent to the reference prior in familiar models. Advantages of the present approach include two different optimality properties of the induced estimator, the ease of various extensions and the possible treatments for a finite sample size. The existing approaches are discussed and critiqued.