Confronting Scarcity: Choices In Production

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• A production possibilities curve shows the combinations of two goods an economy is capable of producing.
• The downward slope of the production possibilities curve is an implication of scarcity.
• The bowed-out shape of the production possibilities curve results from allocating resources based on comparative advantage. Such an allocation implies that the law of increasing opportunity cost will hold.
• An economy that fails to make full and efficient use of its factors of production will operate inside its production possibilities curve.
• Specialization means that an economy is producing the goods and services in which it has a comparative advantage.