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David Ricardo’s theory of comparative advantage suggests that countries and firms can increase revenue by specializing in certain products or services in which they have a relative efficiency, even if they do not have an absolute advantage. This can lead to increased national output and higher profits for companies.
The concept of comparative advantage was first formulated by economist David Ricardo as an explanation of the benefits of international trade to countries. He’s theory concluded that a country could increase its revenue by specializing in certain products and services and selling them on the international market. Firms may also have a comparative advantage over their competitors resulting from certain geographic and historical activities, skills, or factors. For example, an industry may be located in an area where the workforce specializes in certain skills, or a farm may be located in an area rich in soil and favorable climate. The advantages of comparative advantage can also apply to people and provide a reason why they should specialize in certain skills over others.
Ricardo’s theory of comparative advantage points out that if a country is relatively efficient at producing certain products, it should specialize in them, even if it does not have an absolute advantage in producing them. In other words, even though other countries might produce these goods more efficiently, a country would still have to specialize in certain goods if the opportunity cost of producing them is lower in that country. The opportunity cost is the cost of the next best use that could be made of the resources dedicated to producing the goods. Choosing to specialize in goods that it produces relatively efficiently could help a country sell more and increase its revenue.
The advantages of comparative advantage are that if the country specializes in those goods at which it is relatively most efficient, then total national output and, therefore, national income can be increased. The country can produce more goods than it needs and export them to other countries while using export earnings to buy imported goods and services it does not produce. In economists’ terms, the country is pushing its manufacturing capabilities outward and thereby increasing its domestic output. The advantages of comparative advantage can therefore lead to higher national revenues.
In the case of a trading company, the advantages of comparative advantage can explain how a company can increase its profits by focusing on producing those goods and services for which it has a comparative advantage over its competitors. This may mean focusing on core products and competencies. The company may be more efficient than its competitors in producing certain items due to the possession of certain valuable tangible or intangible assets. For example, the company may own certain patents or know-how that allow it to make its processes or products more efficient. Valuable intangible assets could include management experience or a skilled workforce in place.
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