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International Trade - Theory and Policy, 2010a

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This implies that the quantity of the labor-intensive good (clothing) would rise by a greater percentage<br />

than the quantity of labor, while the quantity of steel would fall.<br />

The magnification effect for quantities is a generalization of the Rybczynski theorem. The effect allows for<br />

changes in both endowments simultaneously <strong>and</strong> provides information about the magnitude of the<br />

effects. The Rybczynski theorem is one special case of the magnification effect that assumes one of the<br />

endowments is held fixed.<br />

Although the magnification effect is shown here under the special assumption of fixed factor proportions<br />

<strong>and</strong> for a particular set of parameter values, the result is much more general. It is possible, using calculus,<br />

to show that the effect is valid under any set of parameter values <strong>and</strong> in a more general variable<br />

proportions model.<br />

KEY TAKEAWAYS<br />

<br />

The magnification effect for quantities shows that if the factor endowments change by particular<br />

percentages with one greater than the other, then the outputs will change by percentages that are larger<br />

than the larger endowment change <strong>and</strong> smaller than the smaller. It is in this sense that the output changes<br />

are magnified relative to the factor changes.<br />

<br />

If the percentage change of the capital endowment exceeds the percentage change of the labor<br />

endowment, for example, then output of the good that uses capital intensively will change by a greater<br />

percentage than capital changed, while the output of the good that uses labor intensively will change by<br />

less than labor changed.<br />

EXERCISES<br />

1. Consider a two-factor (capital <strong>and</strong> labor), two-good (beer <strong>and</strong> peanuts) H-O economy.<br />

Suppose beer is capital intensive. Let QB <strong>and</strong> QPrepresent the outputs of beer <strong>and</strong> peanuts,<br />

respectively.<br />

1. Write the magnification effect for quantities if the labor endowment increases <strong>and</strong> the<br />

capital endowment decreases<br />

2. Write the magnification effect for quantities if the capital endowment increases by 10 percent<br />

<strong>and</strong> the labor endowment increases by 5 percent.<br />

Saylor URL: http://www.saylor.org/books<br />

Saylor.org<br />

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