Opportunity Cost & PPC

By Dr. Shweta Bambuwala

OPPORTUNITY COST APPROACH
• The opportunity cost theory explains that if a country can produce either
commodity X or Y, the opportunity cost of commodity X is the amount of
the other commodity , Commodity Y that must be given up in order to get
one additional unit of commodity X.

• Thus, the exchange ratio between the two commodities is expressed in

terms of their opportunity cost. The concept of opportunity costs has
been illustrated in international trade theory with production possibility
curve.
Opportunity cost and the PPC
(also called a production possibilities frontier) a
graphical model that represents all of the different
production possibilities curve (PPC) combinations of two goods that can be produced; the
PPC captures scarcity of resources and opportunity
costs.

the value of the next best alternative to any decision

you make; for example, if Abby can spend her time
opportunity cost either watching videos or studying, the opportunity
cost of an hour watching videos is the hour of studying
she gives up to do that.
Production possibilities curve (PPC)
• The slope of the curve at any point represents the ratio of the
marginal opportunity costs of the two commodities.
• That is, the marginal opportunity cost of an extra unit of one
commodity is the necessary reduction in the output of the other.
• The shape of the curve depends on the assumptions made about the
opportunity costs.
 Production possibilities curve (PPC)
• A production-possibility curve (Samuelson) in the international trade
literature is also known as
the substitution curve (Haberler),
Production indifference curve (Lerner)
Transformation curve.

It is a simple device for depicting all possible combinations of two

goods which a nation might produce with a given resources.
PPC under Constant Cost

The marginal rate of transformation (MRT) is the

amount of one good G which must be given up in order
to release resources necessary to produce an additional
unit of second good D.

In the table, each additional unit of D has the same cost

in terms of G, resources capable of producing 8 units of
G must be diverted to increase output of D by one unit,
regardless of the level of production of good D.
Constant cost means that the MRT is constant. It is the
result of each factor of production being equally
effective in producing both goods, that is, a factor of
production is not more suited to the production of one
good than two other.
PPC under Constant Cost
• The production possibilities curve (MM) then shows all
possible combinations of two commodities which country
W might produce.
• The particular combination to be chosen lies on the curve.
Points inside the curve such as (g) -represent outputs of less
than full employment and are therefore not considered.
• Points beyond the curve, such as (h), require more
resources than the country possesses and are therefore also
beyond consideration.
• The full employment output under consideration must be
on the production possibilities curve.
• The slope of the production possibilities curve is the
marginal rate of transformation.
• The slope shows the reduction required in one commodity
in order to increase the output of the second commodity.
• Since the MRT is constant the slope must be constant and
thus the production possibilities curve must be straight line.
It can be seen that the MRT of G for D is 8 to 1; reducing the
output of D by one unit will provide resources sufficient to
expand output of G by 8 units.
PPC under Constant Cost
• Country, Z has a comparative advantage in the
production of D; less G has to be given up for each
additional unit of D. On the other hand, country W has
the comparative advantage in the production of G1 less D
has to be given up to produce an additional unit G.
• With constant returns to scale, trade can take place only
when each nation has a different MRT.

• The gains from trade for a particular nation depend on

how much the international exchange rates differ from
that nation’s MRT. The greater the difference, the greater
is the gains from trade. The gains from trade rest further
upon the amount of trade taking place. Obviously a
larger volume of trade allows larger gains from trade and
a greater increase in the standard of living.
• Under constant cost, the exchange ratio is determined
solely by costs; the demand determines only the
allocation of available factors between the two branches
of production, and hence the relative quantities of G and
D which are produced. In this case, demand has nothing
to be with the price.
PPC under Constant Cost: Gains from Trade

• The gains from trade for a particular

nation depend on how much the
international exchange rates differ
from that nation’s MRT.
• The greater the difference, the
greater is the gains from trade. The
gains from trade rest further upon
the amount of trade taking place.
• Obviously a larger volume of trade
allows larger gains from trade and a
greater increase in the standard of
living.
PPC & Increasing Costs:
• It would seem unlikely that most nations would be
confronted with constant costs over the substantial
range of production.
• Constant costs imply that all resources are of equal
quality and that they are all equally suited to the
production of both commodities.
• Increasing opportunity costs mean that for each
additional unit of G produced, ever-increasing
amounts of D must be given up.
• At first as production G is increased, resources suited
to G but not to D are used to increase greatly the
output of G and reduce the output of D by little.
• But eventually, the resources being transferred are
not well-suited to G but highly suited to D and
consequently G’s production increases by little and D’s
fall by a great deal.
• Increasing opportunity costs can best be explained by
the use of a table.
PPC & Increasing Costs:
• First, a combination of 40 G and zero D is plotted in the
figure 36 G and one of D etc.; the connected points
yield a production possibilities curve, the slope of which
is the MRT.
• The production possibilities curve is concave toward the
origin, showing that the substitution rate is not constant
but increasing.
• At a combination of 20 G and 3 D, represented by point
(a) in the figure, one unit of D may be substituted in
production for 10 of G. But at the combination of 36 G
and one D, represented by point (b) in the figure, the
resources required to produce one D can be used
alternatively to produce 4 additional unit of G.
• Now, the production possibilities curve shows all
possible combination of G and D which can be
produced at full employment. To be inside the curve is
to be at less than full employment. There are not
sufficient resources to go beyond the curve.
PPC: The Equilibrium
A price ratio must be introduced in our graph of
production possibilities curve in order to determine the
output of two commodities.

With the assumption, that nation W has a closed economy

the domestic price-ratio is drawn tangent to the
production possibilities curve in the figure.

The equilibrium point is at (K), where og1 of G and od1 of

D are produced and consumed.
PPC: The Equilibrium
• A straight line tangent to the transformation curve indicates the
ratio of market prices of the two commodities, and the
condition of tangency expresses equilibrium in production, that
is, equality between prices and marginal costs stated in
opportunity terms.
• Domestic demand conditions enter into this construction via
community indifference curves, or simply as a consumption
point determined by a given arrangement of production and
income distribution.”
• In an open economy, the world price ratios enter to reveal the
possible positions of equilibrium with international trade.
PPC: The Equilibrium
• Finally, tangency of a line representing the
equilibrium international price ratio to both
transformation function and community
indifference curve indicates equilibrium in
exchange, that is:

(i) Equality domestically between the marginal

rate of substitution in consumption and marginal
rate of transformation in production, and

(ii) Equality of the value of exports and the value

of imports.
PPC: The Equilibrium• Suppose that if trade is opened with the
outside world; G will be imported from
abroad in exchange for D on the terms
indicated by the slope of the FF line which
is tangent at (V) to the production
possibilities curve, MM and at (H) to
another amount of consumption
indifference curve of our country NN1,
which is higher than qq1 and therefore
taken to represent a greater total utility
than qq1.
• If the slope of FF1 is taken to represent the
equilibrium terms of exchange of G for D
under foreign trade, our country will under
equilibrium produce og3 of G and od3 of D;
will consume og3 of D and od3 of D; and
will import g1 g3 of G and export d3 d1 of D.
PPC: The Equilibrium
• The amount of G and of D available to it for
consumption will therefore both be greater
under foreign trade then in the absence of
such trade.
• Foreign trade will result in our country
having available for consumption a
combination of G and D which will be on a
higher consumption indifference curve than
q1 q1 and therefore will indicate a greater total
utility than qq1 though less may be consumed
of one of the commodities under foreign
trade than in the absence of such trade.
• Foreign trade therefore, necessarily results in
gain. Such is the opportunity cost theory as
applied to the problem of gains from trade.