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Author ORCID Identifier

N/A

AccessType

Open Access Dissertation

Document Type

dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Degree Program

Resource Economics

Year Degree Awarded

2019

Month Degree Awarded

February

First Advisor

Nathalie Lavoie

Second Advisor

Daniel Lass

Third Advisor

John M. Spraggon

Fourth Advisor

Michael Ash

Subject Categories

Agricultural and Resource Economics | Behavioral Economics | Econometrics | Food Studies | Industrial Organization

Abstract

In this dissertation, I combine field research, econometric methods, and economic theory to analyze a market in which both firms’ and consumers’ choices are motivated by social preferences. This work contributes to the fields of behavioral economics, industrial organization, and local food systems economics. The dissertation expands the growing literature on social preferences to incorporate firms’ choices that are motivated by utility maximizing objectives in an environment that allows endogenous equilibrium prices and quantities. Firms with social preferences operate in a competitive environment in which they may face downstream market power. In particular, the research focuses on intermediated Farm to School markets for local food in which producers’ marketing decisions may be influenced by both market structure and the pro-social motivations embedded in local food markets.

DOI

https://doi.org/10.7275/13490692

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