Theory of trade & investment

The Theory of Trade and Investment

Learning Objectives
To understand the traditional arguments of how and why international trade improves the welfare of all countries
To review the history and compare the implications of trade theory from the original work of Adam Smith to the contemporary theories of Michael Porter
To examine the criticisms of classical trade theory and examine alternative viewpoints of which business and economic forces determine trade patterns between countries
To explore the similarities and distinctions between international trade and international investment

Evolution of Trade Theory
The Age of Mercantilism
Classical Trade Theory
Factor Proportions Trade Theory
International Investment and Product Cycle Theory
The New Trade Theory: Strategic Trade
The Theory of International Investment

Mercantilism
Mixed exchange through trade with accumulation of wealth
Conducted under authority of government
Demise of mercantilism inevitable

Classical Trade Theory
The Theory of Absolute Advantage
The ability of a country to produce a product with fewer inputs than another country
The Theory of Comparative Advantage
The notion that although a country may produce both products more cheaply than another country, it is relatively better at producing one product than the other

Classical Trade Theory Contributions
Adam Smith—Division of Labor
Industrial societies increase output using same labor-hours as pre-industrial society
David Ricardo—Comparative Advantage
Countries with no obvious reason for trade can specialize in production, and trade for products they do not produce
Gains From Trade
A nation can achieve consumption levels beyond what it could produce by itself

Factor Proportions Trade Theory Developed by Eli Heckscher Expanded by Bertil Ohlin

Factor Proportions Trade Theory Considers Two Factors of Production
Labor
Capital

Factor Proportions Trade Theory
A country that is relatively labor abundant (capital abundant) should specialize in the production and export of that product which is relatively labor intensive (capital intensive).

Overlapping Product Ranges Theory: Staffan Burenstam Linder
Trade in manufactured goods dictated not by cost concerns, but by similarity in product demands across countries (overlapping product demands).
Work focused on preferences of consumer demand.
Today, product ranges termed market segments.

Product Cycle Theory
Raymond Vernon
Focus on the product, not its factor proportions
Two technology-based premises

Product Cycle Theory: Vernon’s Premises
Technical innovations leading to new and profitable products require large quantities of capital and skilled labor
The product and the methods for manufacture go through three stages of maturation, with competitive advantage shifting each time

Stages of the Product Cycle
The New Product
Flexible production
Innovator Monopoly
concentration
The Maturing Product
Intl market & competition
More standardized production
The Standardized Product
Low-margin cost-based production
Highly competitive

The Product Cycle and Trade Implications
Increased emphasis on technology’s impact on product cost
Explained international investment
Limitations
Most appropriate for technology-based products
Some products not easily characterized by stages of maturity
Most relevant to products produced through mass production

The New Trade Theory: Strategic Trade
Two New Contributions
Paul Krugman-How trade is altered when markets are not perfectly competitive
Michael Porter-Examined competitiveness of industries on a global basis

Strategic Trade
Krugman’s Economics of Scale:
Internal Economies of Scale External Economies of Scale

Intra-Industry Trade
Trade within a market segment
Product differentiation
Reciprocal dumping
Index of Intra-Industry Trade
comparative adv. (0) to fully intra-industry (1)

Strategic Trade
Can Government shift the balance in Imperfect Competition?
Price Cost Repetition Externalities

Strategic Trade
Porter’s Diamond of National Advantage
Innovation is what drives and sustains competitiveness
Four components of competition
Factor Conditions
Demand Conditions
Related and Supporting Industries
Firm Strategy, Structure, and Rivalry

Michael Porter’s Competitive Clusters
Critical masses of unusual competitive success in particular fields, located in one place

The movement of capital has allowed foreign direct investments across the globe

Firms as Seekers
Seeking Resources
Seeking Factor Advantages
Seeking Knowledge
Seeking Security
Seeking Markets

Firms as Exploiters of Imperfections
Imperfections in Access
Imperfections in Factor Mobility
Imperfections in Management
Firms as Internalizers
Establish their own multinational operations-internalize production
Competitive advantage due to confidentiality

Conclusion
What can trade flows tell us about country advantage?
What can country advantage tell us about doing business in that country?

Theory of trade & investment

by Pankaj Kumar on Feb 25, 2011

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Theory of trade & investment — Presentation Transcript