Transcript Lecture notes
CHAPTER F I V E
5
International Economics
Tenth Edition
Factor Endowments and the Heckscher-Ohlin Theory
Dominick Salvatore John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Salvatore: International Economics, 10th Edition © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
In this chapter:
Introduction Assumptions of the Theory Factor Intensity, Factor Abundance, and the Shape of the Production Frontier Factor Endowments and the Heckscher-Ohlin Theory Factor-Price Equalization and Income Distribution Empirical Tests of the Heckscher-Ohlin Model Salvatore: International Economics, 10th Edition © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Introduction
Extending trade model to include: Basis of comparative advantage Effect of international trade on return to labor Salvatore: International Economics, 10th Edition © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Assumptions of the Theory
Heckscher-Ohlin theory based on following assumptions: 1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Two nations, two goods, two factors of production Technology same in both nations Commodity X is labor intensive, commodity Y is capital intensive in both nations Constant returns to scale for X and Y in both nations Incomplete specialization in production in both nations Salvatore: International Economics, 10th Edition © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Assumptions of the Theory
Heckscher-Ohlin theory based on following assumptions: 6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Tastes are equal in both nations Both commodities and factors are traded in perfectly competitive markets Perfect factor mobility within each nation, but not between nations No transportation costs, tariffs or other barriers to free trade.
All resources are fully employed in both nations 11.
International trade between the nations is balanced.
Salvatore: International Economics, 10th Edition © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Factor Intensity, Factor Abundance, and the Shape of the Production Frontier
Factor Intensity
In a two-commodity, two factor world, commodity Y is capital intensive if the capital labor ratio (K/L) used in the production of Y is greater than K/L used in the production of X.
It is not the absolute amount of capital and labor used in production of X and Y, but the amount of capital per unit of labor that determines capital intensity.
Salvatore: International Economics, 10th Edition © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
FIGURE 5-1
Factor Intensities for Commodities X and Y in Nations 1 and 2.
Salvatore: International Economics, 10th Edition © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Factor Intensity, Factor Abundance, and the Shape of the Production Frontier
Factor Abundance
In terms of physical units: Nation 2 is capital abundant if the ratio of the total amount of capital to the total amount of labor (TK/TL) available in Nation 2 is greater than that in Nation 1.
It is not the absolute amount of capital and labor available in each nation, but the ratio of the total amount of capital to the total amount of labor.
Salvatore: International Economics, 10th Edition © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Factor Intensity, Factor Abundance, and the Shape of the Production Frontier
Factor Abundance
In terms of relative factor prices: Nation 2 is capital abundant if the ratio of the rental price of capital to the price of labor time (P K /P L ) is lower in Nation 2 than in Nation 1.
Rental price of capital is usually considered to be the interest rate (r), while the price of labor time is the wage rate (w), so P K /P L = r/w .
It is not the absolute level of r that determines whether a nation is K-abundant, but r/w.
Salvatore: International Economics, 10th Edition © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Nation 2 is K-abundant, and commodity Y is K-intensive Nation 1 is L-abundant, and commodity X is L-intensive
FIGURE 5-2
The Shape of the Production Frontiers of Nation 1 and Nation 2.
Salvatore: International Economics, 10th Edition © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Factor Endowments and the Heckscher-Ohlin Theory
Heckscher-Ohlin (H-O) theory is based on two theorems:
1. The H-O theorem
A nation will export the commodity whose production requires the intensive use of the nation’s relatively abundant and cheap factor and import the commodity whose production requires the intensive use of the nation’s relatively scarce and expensive factor.
Salvatore: International Economics, 10th Edition © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Factor Endowments and the Heckscher-Ohlin Theory
Heckscher-Ohlin (H-O) theory is based on two theorems:
1. The H-O theorem
In short, the relatively labor-rich nation exports the relatively labor-intensive commodity and imports the relatively Explains comparative advantage rather than assuming it.
Salvatore: International Economics, 10th Edition © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
FIGURE 5-3
General Equilibrium Framework of the Heckscher-Ohlin Theory.
Salvatore: International Economics, 10th Edition © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
FIGURE 5-4
The Heckscher-Ohlin Model.
Salvatore: International Economics, 10th Edition © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Factor-Price Equalization and Income Distribution
Heckscher-Ohlin (H-O) theory is based on two theorems:
2. The factor price equalization theorem
International trade will bring about equalization in the relative and absolute returns to homogenous factors across nations.
In short, wages and other factor returns will be the same after specialization and trade has occurred.
Holds only if H-O theorem holds.
Salvatore: International Economics, 10th Edition © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Factor-Price Equalization and Income Distribution
Heckscher-Ohlin (H-O) theory is based on two theorems:
2. The factor price equalization theorem
International trade causes w to rise in Nation 1 (the low-wage nation) and fall in Nation 2. (the high-wage nation), reducing the pretrade difference in w between nations.
Similarly, trade causes r to fall in Nation 1 (the K-expensive nation) and rise in Nation 2. (the K cheap nation), reducing the pretrade difference in r between nations.
Salvatore: International Economics, 10th Edition © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Factor-Price Equalization and Income Distribution
Heckscher-Ohlin (H-O) theory is based on two theorems:
2. The factor price equalization theorem
Thus, international trade causes a redistribution of income from the relatively expensive (scarce) factor to the relatively cheap (abundant) factor.
Salvatore: International Economics, 10th Edition © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
FIGURE 5-5
Relative Factor–Price Equalization.
Salvatore: International Economics, 10th Edition © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Factor-Price Equalization and Income Distribution
Specific Factors Model
Trade will: have an ambiguous effect on a nation’s mobile factors, benefit the immobile factors specific to a nation’s export commodities or sectors, and harm the immobile factors specific to a nation’s import-competing commodities or sectors.
Salvatore: International Economics, 10th Edition © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
5.6 Empirical Tests of the H-O Model
5.6A. The Leontief Paradox (1) Empirical test by Wassily Leontief (1951) - Data: U.S. data for the year 1946.
- Hypothesis: Since the U.S. was the most K-abundant nation in the world, it was expected that the U.S. exported K-intensive commodities and imported L-intensive commodities.
- Test method: Calculated the amount of labor and capital in a ‘representative bundle’ of $1 million worth of U.S. exports and import substitutes for the year 1947.
- Result: U.S. import substitutes were more K-intensive than U.S. exports.
This is called the Leontief paradox.
5.6 Empirical Tests of the H-O Model
- Table 5.6. Capital and Labor Requirements per Million Dollars of U.S. exports and import substitutes Exports Imports Substitutes Imports Exports
Leotief
(1947 input requirements, 1947 trade): Capital Labor (worker-years) Capital/worker-year
Leotief
(1947 input requirements, 1951 trade): Capital Labor (worker-years) Capital/worker-year Capital/worker-year, excluding natural resources
Baldwin
(1958 input requirements, 1962 trade): Capital Labor (worker-years) Capital/worker-year Capital/worker-year, excluding natural resources Capital/worker-year, excluding natural resources and human capital $2,550,780 182 $14,010 $3,091,339 170 $18,180 1.30
$2,256,800 174 $12,977 $2,303,400 168 $13,726 1.06
0.88
$1,876,000 131 $14,200 $2,132,000 119 $18,000 1.27
1.04
0.92
Empirical Tests of the Heckscher-Ohlin Model
Source of the Leontief Paradox Bias
Assumed a two factor world which required assumptions about what is capital and what is labor.
Most heavily protected industries in U.S. were L- intensive, reduced imports and increased domestic production of L-intensive goods.
Only physical capital included as capital, ignoring human capital (education, job training, skills).
Salvatore: International Economics, 10th Edition © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
5.6 Empirical Tests of the H-O Model
Implications of the conflicting empirical results
The H-O model is useful in explaining international trade in raw materials, agricultural products which is large component of trade between developing and developing countries.
There should be other basis for trade. Chapter 6.
Appendix to Chapter 5
The Edgeworth Box Diagram for Nation 1 and Nation 2–Once Again Formal Proof of the Factor–Price Equalization Theorem Specific-Factors Model Factor-Intensity Reversal Salvatore: International Economics, 10th Edition © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
FIGURE 5-7
The Edgeworth Box Diagram for Nation 1 and Nation 2–Once Again.
Salvatore: International Economics, 10th Edition © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
FIGURE 5-8
Formal Proof of the Factor–Price Equalization Theorem.
Salvatore: International Economics, 10th Edition © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
FIGURE 5-9
Specific-Factors Model.
Salvatore: International Economics, 10th Edition © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
FIGURE 5-10
Factor-Intensity Reversal.
Salvatore: International Economics, 10th Edition © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.