1. International Economics Tenth Edition
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, 11th Edition © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

2. Learning Goals:
Explain how comparative advantage is based on differences in factor endowments across nations
Explain how trade affects relative factor prices within and across nations
Explain why trade is likely to be only a small reason for higher skilled-unskilled wage inequalities
Salvatore: International Economics, 11th Edition © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

3. 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.

4. Extending trade model to include:
Introduction
Extending trade model to include:
Basis of comparative advantage
Effect of international trade on return to labor
Salvatore: International Economics, 11th Edition © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

5. Assumptions of the Theory
Heckscher-Ohlin theory based on following assumptions:
Two nations, two goods, two factors of production
Technology is the 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, 11th Edition © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

6. Assumptions of the Theory
Heckscher-Ohlin theory based on following assumptions (continued):
Tastes are the same 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
International trade between the nations is balanced.
Salvatore: International Economics, 11th Edition © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

7. Factor Intensity, Factor Abundance, and the Shape of the Production Frontier
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, 11th Edition © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

8. FIGURE 5-1 Factor Intensities for Commodities X and Y
in Nations 1 and 2.
Salvatore: International Economics, 11th Edition © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

9. Factor Intensity, Factor Abundance, and the Shape of the Production Frontier
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, 11th Edition © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

10. Factor Intensity, Factor Abundance, and the Shape of the Production Frontier
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 (PK/PL) 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 PK/PL = r/w.
It is not the absolute level of r that determines whether a nation is K-abundant, but r/w.
Salvatore: International Economics, 11th Edition © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

11. FIGURE 5-2 The Shape of the Production Frontiers of
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, 11th Edition © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

12. 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, 11th Edition © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

13. 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, 11th Edition © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

14. FIGURE 5-3 General Equilibrium Framework of the
Heckscher-Ohlin Theory.
Salvatore: International Economics, 11th Edition © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

15. FIGURE 5-4 The Heckscher-Ohlin Model.
Salvatore: International Economics, 11th Edition © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

16. 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, 11th Edition © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

17. 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, 11th Edition © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

18. 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, 11th Edition © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

19. FIGURE 5-5 Relative Factor–Price Equalization.
Salvatore: International Economics, 11th Edition © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

20. 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, 11th Edition © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

21. Empirical Tests of the Heckscher-Ohlin Model
The Leontief Paradox
A 1951 test of the H-O theory
Showed that the pattern of trade did not fit the conclusions of the H-O theorem.
Exports in the U.S. seemed to be labor intensive when they should have been capital intensive.
Salvatore: International Economics, 11th Edition © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

22. Empirical Tests of the H-O Model
The Leontief Paradox Bias
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.

23. 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, 11th Edition © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

24. Case Study 5-7 Capital and Labor Requirements in U.S. Trade
Salvatore: International Economics, 11th Edition © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

25. Case Study 5-1 Relative Resource Endowments of Various Countries
Homework: Replicate the above table using the most updated data.

26. Case Study 5-2 Capital-Labor Ratios of Selected Countries
Homework: Replicate the above table using the most updated data.