The Global-Local Dilemma

International trade affects the economy by increasing the Aggregate Demand (AD), and by becoming a source of inputs for production. International trade based on the theory of comparative advantage will improve efficiency in allocating resources, as well as allow businesses to reach economies of scale - "the situation in which costs per unit of output fall as output increases", consequently reaching competitive prices of international markets (Colander, 2004, p. 428). When an economy involves itself in trade, under the right circumstances, it is able to shift the Production Possibility Curve (PPC) curve outward, and achieve greater levels of output. This increase in production can be achieved through the use of more resources

If each country specializes in areas where its advantages are greatest or disadvantages are least, the gains from trade will make each country better off than it would be if it remained self-sufficient. [3]

“Globalization is a process of interaction and integration among the people, companies, and governments of different nations, a process driven by international trade and investment and aided by information technology. This process has effects on the environment, on culture, on political systems, on economic development and prosperity, and on human physical well-being in societies around the world” (The State University of New York, 2014, para 1).

a number of gains to be obtained from international trade, such as lower prices, greater choice,

Globalization is the process by which different societies and cultures integrate through a worldwide network of political ideas through transportation, communication, and trade. Generally, globalization has affected many nations in various ways; economically, politically, and socially. It is a term that refers to the fast integration and interdependence of various nations, which shapes the world affairs on a global level. Simply put; globalization is the world coming together. In this essay I will discuss multiple perspectives on globalization through the analysis of these three sources.

However, it was apparent to economists that nations with similar resource endowments exchanged similar products with each other. Economists felt that trade explained solely by comparative advantage was an incomplete analysis of international trade. Furthermore, since the classical trade theory was unable to explain intraindustry trade, economists decided to expand on the classical trade theory by creating a new theory of trade (Carbaugh, 2011). The new theory states that economies of scale provide incentive for a country to specialize in a particular product (Carbaugh, 2011). Furthermore, based on economies of scale, nations with similar factor endowments will trade with each other as sometimes it is beneficial (Carbaugh, 2011). Arguments stemming from this new trade theory puts the economic case for free trade in doubt.

I believe comparative advantage is the most consistent way of measuring gains from international trade. The reason is both countries can gain from trade if both country work toward an equilibrium.

Globalization describes the interdependence of nations, the opening up of markets through the removal of trade barriers, foreign direct investment, and enhancing of technological communications. Moreover, it is the shift towards the

Globalization: The process of social, political, economic, cultural, and technological integration among countries around the world (Luthans & Doh, 2012).

Economic analysts say trading among other countries with no stipulations improve global efficiency in resource allocation (Tupy, 2005). Free Trade delivers goods and services to those who value them most and allows partners to gain from specializing in the producing those goods and services they do best; according to Tupy’s findings, Economists call that the law of comparative advantage. Tupy also states when producers create goods they are comparatively skilled at i.e. Germans producing beer and the French producing wine, those goods increase in abundance and quality. Trade allows consumers to benefit from more efficient production methods, for example, without large markets for goods and services, large production runs would not be economical. Large production runs, in turn, are instrumental to reducing product costs while lower production

The efficiency of resources allocation is improved by the free international trade, as the higher productivity and increasing in total domestic output of commodities and services are

In the most recent years, domestic sales of wine has declined constantly. The wine consumption is becoming more occasional. This is partially due to an aggressive anti-alcohol campaign and driving restrictions set by the local government, but also facilitated by a lack of marketing strategy: the wine market is loosing touch with the youth (the average age of wine drinker is gone up from 35 to 55) and young people are getting more keen to beer or alcohol pops.

Nonetheless, the real prices of certain commodities such as lamb, tobacco and beef have increased over time due to increasing world average income, which encourages world demand. Interestingly, developing countries, which form the predominant exporters of primary commodities, earn lower relative prices over time, for instance, palm oil arrives primarily from Indonesia and Malaysia and raw sugar arrives mostly from Brazil and Thailand. Contrariwise, the world suppliers of lamb are the United Kingdom, Spain and Australia and, moreover, 14% of world bovine meat arrives from the United States (Simoes, 2013). Therefore, it can be argued that greater advantages are granted to suppliers in developed countries than those in developing countries by trade liberalisation.

The concept of absolute advantage is one of the most fundamental areas of concern in the study of economics. In its basic meaning, absolute advantage refers to the ability of one individual or party to produce more of a particular good or service than other competitors given the same amount of resources. In this regard, absolute advantage becomes a very important aspect in the concept of international trade as it clearly defines the different areas where countries should specialize in order to maximize their productivity and enhance international trade. The principle of absolute advantage was first elucidated by Adam Smith in his study of international trade using labor and capital as the only factor inputs(Free, 2010).

Manufacturing adjusts to meet a constant return on the product (Hunt & Morgan, 1995). Effectively, these theories rely on national monopolistic models to explain comparative advantage (Ossa, n.d.). While the standard of comparative advantage explains why trade can exist between countries, the assumptions do not account for conditions of increasing returns and imperfect competition.