Difference between revisions of "Factor Endowment Theory"
James Pates (talk | contribs) (New page: The factor endowment theory holds that countries are likely to be abundant in different types of resources. In economic reasoning, the simplest case for this distribution is the idea that ...) |
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| − | The factor endowment theory holds that countries are likely to be abundant in different types of resources. In economic reasoning, the simplest case for this distribution is the idea that countries will have different ratios of capital to labor. Factor endowment theory is used to determine comparative advantage. The | + | The factor endowment theory holds that countries are likely to be abundant in different types of resources. In economic reasoning, the simplest case for this distribution is the idea that countries will have different ratios of capital to labor. Factor endowment theory is used to determine comparative advantage. The Hechsher-Olin Theory holds that a country will have a comparative advantage in the good that uses the factor with which it is heavily endowed. When calculating comparative advantage, it is essential to remember that it is the ratios of factors that matter; a country could be heavily endowed with both labor and capital, but it proportionally may have more of one than another than would another country. If a country has a comparative advantage in a good that uses the factor with which it is heavily endowed, it should focus it's production on that good. Because it is heavily endowed with that factor, it will be most efficient at producing the good that requires that factor for production. For example, a country with a high ration of capital to labor will be more efficient at producing computers than it would corn. If that country instead focused on producing corn, it would have to divert capital which is not meant for corn production into an area where it is inefficiently used. |
Revision as of 13:41, 25 September 2010
The factor endowment theory holds that countries are likely to be abundant in different types of resources. In economic reasoning, the simplest case for this distribution is the idea that countries will have different ratios of capital to labor. Factor endowment theory is used to determine comparative advantage. The Hechsher-Olin Theory holds that a country will have a comparative advantage in the good that uses the factor with which it is heavily endowed. When calculating comparative advantage, it is essential to remember that it is the ratios of factors that matter; a country could be heavily endowed with both labor and capital, but it proportionally may have more of one than another than would another country. If a country has a comparative advantage in a good that uses the factor with which it is heavily endowed, it should focus it's production on that good. Because it is heavily endowed with that factor, it will be most efficient at producing the good that requires that factor for production. For example, a country with a high ration of capital to labor will be more efficient at producing computers than it would corn. If that country instead focused on producing corn, it would have to divert capital which is not meant for corn production into an area where it is inefficiently used.
