CHAPTER II:

INTERNATIONAL TRADE AND FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT

© Mason Carpenter 2011, published by Flat World Knowledge

 LEARNING OBJECTIVES

• Understand the International Trade Theory

• Explain the Political and Legal Factors that impact International Trade
• Identify Foreign Direct Investment

© Mason Carpenter 2011, published by Flat World Knowledge

 INTERNATIONAL TRADE THEORY

© Mason Carpenter 2011, published by Flat World Knowledge

 INTERNATIONAL TRADE THEORY

• International trade theories are simply different theories to explain international trade.
• Trade is the concept of exchanging goods and services between two people or entities.
International trade is then the concept of this exchange between people or entities in two
different countries.
• In this section, you’ll learn about the different trade theories that have evolved over the
past century and which are most relevant today.

© Mason Carpenter 2011, published by Flat World Knowledge

 1. CLASSICAL, OR COUNTRY-BASED TRADE
THEORIES
1.1 Mercantilism: is designed to maximize the exports and minimize the
imports for an economy.
1.2 Absolute advantage: The ability of a country to produce a good more
efficiently than another nation.
1.3 Comparative advantage: The situation in which a country cannot
produce a product more efficiently than another country; however, it does
produce that product better and more efficiently than it does another good.

© Mason Carpenter 2011, published by Flat World Knowledge

 1. CLASSICAL, OR COUNTRY-BASED TRADE
THEORIES CONT.
1.4 Factor Proportions Theory/The Heckscher-Ohlin Theory: The
classical, country-based international theory states that countries
would gain comparative advantage if they produced and exported
goods that required resources or factors that they had in great
supply and therefore were cheaper production factors.

© Mason Carpenter 2011, published by Flat World Knowledge

 2. MODERN, OR FIRM-BASED TRADE THEORIES

2.1 Country similarity theory: A modern, firm-based international trade theory

that explains intra-industry trade by stating that countries with the most
similarities in factors such as incomes, consumer habits, market preferences, stage
of technology, communications, degree of industrialization, and others will be more
likely to engage in trade between countries and intra-industry trade will be
common.
2.2 Product life cycle theory: A modern, firm-based international trade theory
that states that a product life cycle has three distinct stages: (1) new product, (2)
maturing product, and (3) standardized product.

© Mason Carpenter 2011, published by Flat World Knowledge

 POLITICAL AND LEGAL FACTORS THAT
IMPACT INTERNATIONAL TRADE

© Mason Carpenter 2011, published by Flat World Knowledge

 WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT POLITICAL SYSTEMS?

• Political system: The system of politics and government in a

country; it governs a complete set of rules, regulations,
institutions, and attitudes
• Totalitarianism: A political ideology that contends that every aspect of an
individual’s life should be controlled and dictated by a strong, central
government
• Democracy: A form of government that derives its power from the people

© Mason Carpenter 2011, published by Flat World Knowledge

 WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT LEGAL SYSTEMS?

• Legal system: The purpose of a legal system, generally, is to establish the
rules of a given society and the rights of the people who make up that
society.
• Civil law: A legal system based upon a detailed set of laws that constitute a code
and on how the law is applied to the facts
• Common law: A legal system based on traditions

© Mason Carpenter 2011, published by Flat World Knowledge

 HOW DO GOVERNMENTS INTERVENE IN TRADE?

• Tariffs
• Specific tariffs: Taxes or tariffs that are levied as a fixed charge,
regardless of the value of the product or service
• Ad valorem tariffs: Tariffs that are calculated as a percentage of the
value of the product or service

© Mason Carpenter 2011, published by Flat World Knowledge

 FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT (FDI)

© Mason Carpenter 2011, published by Flat World Knowledge

 FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT (FDI)

• Foreign direct investment (FDI): It refers to a company owns another

company in a different country. Foreign direct investment is significant for
developing economies and emerging markets where companies need funding
and expertise to expand their international sales. Private investment in
infrastructure, energy, and water is a critical driver of the economy as helps in
increasing jobs and wages.

© Mason Carpenter 2011, published by Flat World Knowledge

THANK YOU!   