Larry Chavis researches how weak institutions in developing countries pose challenges for new business formation. 

He is studying how organizational design affects the delivery of development aid to rural communities and small-scale entrepreneurs in Indonesia.  Transparency International’s Global Corruption Report 2005 summarized his research on the effect of social networks on firm bribe payments in transition economies.

Dr. Chavis’ broad interest in social issues affecting firms is reflected in research on the effect of the Iraq war on French wine sales in the United States with Phillip Leslie of Stanford University.  Their research demonstrates that firms should be concerned about grassroots level boycotts and how they are perceived in the market place. Their findings were reported by many news outlets, including U.S. News & World Report and The Washington Post.

As a member of the Lumbee Tribe and a North Carolina native, Dr. Chavis has a strong academic and personal interest in issues facing North Carolina.  Future projects include work on minority entrepreneurship, North Carolina’s changing demographics and rural economic development.

Dr. Chavis received his PhD in economics from the Stanford Graduate School of Business, an MS in applied economics and management and an MA in Asian studies from Cornell University, and a BA in anthropology from Duke University.