International Trade Simulation

According to Colander, "The reason two countries trade is that trade can make both countries better off" (2004, p. 416). In economics, the theory of comparative advantage clarifies why it can be advantageous for two countries to trade, even though one of them may be able to produce every kind of item more cheaply than the other. What matters is not the absolute cost of production, but instead, the ratio between how easily the two countries can produce different kinds of goods. The basic idea of the principle of comparative advantage is that as long as the relative opportunity costs of producing goods differ among countries, then there are potential gains from trade.

Some Major benefits of international trade include the reduction of poverty, expansion of business opportunities for local companies and reduces costs for consumer.

Comparative advantage is the concept that production can be conducted with lower opportunity cost than a competitor. The lower cost of

Absolute advantage is the ability to produce more than one product efficiently and at the lowest cost. Comparative advantage is the ability to specialize in producing one product at the lowest cost. Comparative advantage affects trade the most because with specializing in producing one product the companies must trade to receive other products. Comparative advantage also considers the opportunity of cost to produce one product verse the other.

Pretend for a moment that you are much better than your best friend at chopping pineapples and at waxing surfboards for tourists. Economically speaking, you are said to have the absolute advantage over your friend because you are better at both tasks.  An easy way to identify absolute advantage is to see who can produce the most of a good or who can do it in the fastest time as we see in this example.  Absolute advantage is when some individual, group, or country has the ability to produce a product more efficiently than another individual, group, or country.  

Now, say that you and your best friend opened a fruit and surf stand on the local beach. There are two tasks that need to be completed: waxing surfboards for the surfers who stop by and chopping pineapples for a refreshing snack for people at the beach. While you might be better at both jobs, you can still get the work done quicker if you each take on one of the tasks. The question is: who waxes the boards and who chops up the pineapples? Let’s say:

Comparative advantage in economics is when a country can produce a good at a lower opportunity cost relative to other producers. It is because of this theory that output will increase because a producers within a country specializes Countries will gain the ability to maximize their efficiency and their labor force which facilitates mass-production of products, resulting in higher profits and international trade. This is because the economies of scale reduces overall cost, by producing more units. If the two countries moved towards protectionism and attempted to become self-sufficient then the production of goods would then

Which is cost difference determines the patterns of international trade. Absolute advantage is trade benefits when each country is at least cost producer of one of the goods being traded. In the 1800s, David Ricardo developed the theory of comparative advantage to measure gains from trades. This theory is based on comparative advantage and it states each nation should specialize in production of those goods for which its relatively more efficient with a lower opportunity cost.

The benefits that arise from international trade can be derived from nations that have acquired trade power and established their revenue. According to Stanley, “nations with strong international trade have become prosperous and have power to control the world economy. The global trade can become one of the major contributors to the reduction of poverty.” Over the years, this type of trade has thrived as a result of the numerous benefits that come from importing and exporting good and service on a global scale, more specifically because of the increasing efficiency as well as the effects of supply and

b. Draw the production possibility curve for each country and indicate (both graphically and in words) what the advantage of trade is for each country.

Countries are enabled by free international trade to specialise or to focus in the production of the goods in which they have a comparative advantage. Specialisation countries can take the benefit of efficiencies generated from increased output and economies of trade. The size of the firm’s market are increased by the international trade which results in lower average costs and increasing in productivity, as it ultimately leads to increase in production.

The theory of comparative advantage explains the benefit of free trade. According to this theory by David Ricardo in the early 19th century, “Both countries will be better off if each specializes in the industry where it has a comparative advantage, and if the two trade with one another.” (Citation) International trade opens up markets to foreign supplier, and domestic companies need to improve their efficiency, boost productivity, and lower cost to increase competitiveness instead of enjoying monopolies or oligopolies that enabled them to keep prices well above marginal costs. On the other hand, international trade also offers domestic companies bigger demands and broader markets; therefore more jobs relevant to export have been created. Furthermore, jobs in the US supported by goods exports pay 13-18 percent more than the US national average (ustr.gov).

Comparative advantage is a condition when country can produce goods with lower opportunity costs compare with other countries. Opportunity costs here means the costs that we choose over other things (we gave up on other goods and spend cost for goods that gives more benefit).

For an open economy such as the UK having international trade promotes competition and avoids monopolies domestically. This

Economists use the term absolute advantage when comparing the productivity of one person, firm or nation with that of another. The producer that requires a smaller quantity of inputs to produce a good is said to have an absolute advantage in producing that good (Gans, King, & Mankiw, 1999).

Considering that absolute advantage is determined by the comparison between the productivities of labor, it is therefore possible that one party can be disadvantaged to have no absolute advantage in anything. In such a case, it is normally realized that no trade can occur between such a party and other parties. Absolute advantage is normally contrasted with the theory of comparative advantage which means that one party has the ability to produce a particular good or service cheaply or at a lower opportunity cost. In any case, the two theories rely on the basic concept of economic advantage which refers to the ability of one group or party to realize the same output with more economy than another party.