Why does opportunity cost increase along the production possibility fr...
Opportunity Cost Increase Along the Production Possibility FrontierOpportunity cost is the value of the next best alternative foregone when a choice is made. It increases along the production possibility frontier due to the following reasons:
Scarce ResourcesAs we move along the production possibility frontier, resources are allocated to produce more of one good at the expense of producing less of another. This leads to an increase in opportunity cost as resources are limited and have alternative uses.
Law of Increasing Opportunity CostAccording to the law of increasing opportunity cost, as we produce more of a good, the opportunity cost of producing an additional unit of that good increases. This is because resources are not equally efficient in producing all goods, resulting in a higher opportunity cost for each additional unit produced.
SpecializationAlong the production possibility frontier, firms tend to specialize in producing goods where they have a comparative advantage. This leads to an increase in opportunity cost as more resources are allocated to the production of a particular good, resulting in a higher opportunity cost for producing other goods.
EfficiencyAs we move along the production possibility frontier, resources are utilized more efficiently to produce more goods. This increase in efficiency also leads to an increase in opportunity cost, as resources become more scarce and valuable in producing additional units of goods.