Wednesday, May 17, 2017

Comparative Advantage

I.            Specialization - Individuals and countries can be made better off if they will produce in what they have a comparative advantage and then trade with others for whatever else they want/need.
II.            Absolute Advantage: The producer that can produce the most output OR requires the least amount of inputs (resources).
III.            Comparative Advantage - The producer with the lowest opportunity cost.
IV.            Countries should trade if they have a relatively low opportunity cost.
V.            Input VS Output
VI.            An output problem presents the data as products produced given a set of resources. (ex. Number of pens produced)
VII.            An input problem presents the data as amount of resources needed to produce a fixed amount of output. (Number of labor hours to produce 1 bushel)
When identifying absolute advantage, input problems change the scenario from who can produce the most to two can produce a given product with the least amount of resources.

 

2 comments:

  1. Interesting blog, Blanchard. I would like to ask, however, how this image of fine wine relates to the topic of comparative and absolute advantage. Also, it would have been nice to see some examples of calculating comparative advantages, but that's just me.

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  2. It would be nice if you had a video to accompany this post that carried out the calculations of comparative advantage. It would've been helpful for you to include the statements that Output = opportunity cost goes Over and for Input, opportunity cost goes Under.

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