Concept of comparative advantage, International Economics

Assignment Help:

The Concept of Comparative Advantage is explained below:

To illustrate the concept of the comparative advantage, we take the instance of two equi-sized equi-endowment countries, which are US and UK. US produces 40 and 60 units of cotton and food p.a. respectively (using all available resources), while the UK produces 30 and 20 units of cotton and food p.a. respectively (using all the available resources). Clearly, the US has complete advantage in the production of both cotton and food. By absolute advantage it is meant that the US is more efficient at producing food and cotton both than the UK. But, upon computing the opportunity costs of producing cotton and food in the either country, is revealed that the opportunity cost of producing one unit of the cotton in the US is 1.5 units of food, while the opportunity cost of producing one unit of food in the US is 0.67 units of cotton. Similarly the opportunity cost of producing one unit of the cotton in the UK is 0.67 units of food, whereas the opportunity cost of producing one unit of food in the UK is 1.5 units of cotton. Hence, the US has a lower opportunity cost (comparative advantage) in production of food while the UK has a lower opportunity cost (comparative advantage) in production of cotton. By specializing in the goods/commodities they have comparative advantage in and then trading between them, both the countries can improve their consumption possibilities beyond those implied by autarky (that is a situation of no trade where the PPF and CPF are the same).

 




 


Related Discussions:- Concept of comparative advantage

Capital account liberalization, Q. "Trade liberalization could preced...

Q. "Trade liberalization could precede capital account liberalization." Discuss. Answer: It is probably true. The issue is associated to the theory of second best and

Apparent lack of national consistency on this issue, Q. The United States ...

Q. The United States seems at times to have a totally schizophrenic attitude toward protectionism. The United States was the country that proposed the establishment of the World

FOREX, part of the return on the investment comes from the asset itself and...

part of the return on the investment comes from the asset itself and part from the currency of the foreign currency. agree or disagree?

.., Ask qu. What are the various forms of economic integration? estion #Min...

Ask qu. What are the various forms of economic integration? estion #Minimum 100 words accepted#

Show the effects of a permanent increase in the u.s. money, Q. Using figure...

Q. Using figures for both the short run and the long run, show the effects of a permanent increase in the U.S. money supply. Try to line up your figures to the short and long run

Positive scale economies, Q . Is it possible that if positive scale econom...

Q . Is it possible that if positive scale economies characterize an industry, that its equilibrium can be consistent with purely competitive conditions? Explain how this would hap

International trade, International business involves the management of inte...

International business involves the management of international risk. To minimize risks commercial parties utilize independent guarantees and standby letters of credit. (a)  Dis

Relative capital abundance, Q . Consider that the relative capital abundanc...

Q . Consider that the relative capital abundance of Australia was so much greater than that of Sri-Lanka, that we would have to locate Australia far to the right on the K/L axis.

Present the case for floating exchange rates, Q. Present the case f...

Q. Present the case for floating exchange rates. Answer: 1. Monetary policy autonomy Governments would able to use financial policy to reach internal and extern

Write Your Message!

Captcha
Free Assignment Quote

Assured A++ Grade

Get guaranteed satisfaction & time on delivery in every assignment order you paid with us! We ensure premium quality solution document along with free turntin report!

All rights reserved! Copyrights ©2019-2020 ExpertsMind IT Educational Pvt Ltd