Meredith Startz

I am an assistant professor in the Dartmouth economics department. My research is at the intersection of development and trade, and focuses on how contracting problems shape transactions and firms in developing countries.

King Center Supported Research

2019 - 2020 Academic Year | Junior Faculty Research Grant

Middlemen: The Structure of Chains of Intermediation

Wholesalers and other intermediaries play a major role in trade. The chain structure of trade has implications for prices, the correct measurement of trade costs, and consumer welfare. Using data collection, this research aims to empirically describe these chains and quantify their implications for consumers in Nigeria. The project involves surveys of the owners of individual wholesale and retail shops across Nigeria. The resulting data allows researchers to map out a supply chain across locations and quantify the implications of such chains for trade costs and welfare. Combined with existing research, this data will inform an emerging model of chain formation and relate this structure to fundamentals of geography and market size.