Background
NICHOLLS, William Hord was born in 1914 in Lexington, Kentucky, United States of America.
NICHOLLS, William Hord was born in 1914 in Lexington, Kentucky, United States of America.
Bachelor of Arts University Kentucky, 1934. Master of Arts, Doctor of Philosophy Harvard University, 1938, 1941.
The first to apply the theory of imperfect competition to the buying side represented by agricultural processing industries vis-à-vis farmers. On the occasion, he devised several novel diagrammatical tools for duopoly and bilateral monopoly. Concentrating on cigarettes and meat-packing industries, he subjected the production and industrial organisation of agricultural industries to a detailed analysis.
In a first departure from the conventional production function, he included the working day among the ordinary variables of that function. As a member of the dissenting ‘Ames Group’, he wrote a prizewinning critical analysis of the United States farm policy and formulated economically efficient policy alternatives. At Vanderbilt he founded a school of thought characterised by an abiding interest in the
economic development of the South with special reference to agriculture.
In the latter part of his career he shifted the focus of his research to agriculture in the world, with particular attention to agricultural development in lowincome countries. His model involving the ‘agricultural surplus’ has become a frequent tool of research. Instructor, Assistant Professor, Association Professor, Iowa State College, 1938-1944.
Consultant, United States Office Price Administration, 1941-1942. Assistant Professor, University Chicago, 1945-1948. Professor of Economics, Director, Graduate Center Latin American
Studies, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, 1948-1978, 1965-1977.
Visiting Lector, Rio de Janeiro, 1947. Visiting Professor, Salzburg Seminar American Studies, 1949. Economics, Turkish Mission, International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, 1950.
Staff Economics, United States President's Council Economics Advisers,
4. Consultant, Ford Foundation, Brazil,
4. Visiting Professor, Harvard University,
2.
Agriculture Economics, Vargas Foundation, Brazil, 1963-1964. Membei, Agriculture Committee, National Planning Association, 1950. United States Social Science Research Council, United Kingdom or United States of America Committee Agric Economics, 1953-1955, 1954-1957.
Board of Directors, United States Social Science Research Council, United Kingdom or United States of America,
60. Federal Advisory Council Employment Security, National Advisory Committee Manpower Development, United States Department Labor, 1960-1962, 1962-1963. Agriculture Economics Research Committee, United States Department Agriculture, 1963-1968.
Member, United States National Committee United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation, United States Department State, 1966-1969. Member-atLarge, National Research Council, Division Behavioral Sciences, 1973-1977. Guest Consultant, Ministry Planning, Brazil, 1972-1973.
Managing Editor, Journal of Political Economy,
8. Editorial Boards, Economic Development and Cultural Change, 1947-1978, American Economic Review, 1948-1951, American Journal of Agricultural Economics, 1958-1960.