factor endowment


Factor Endowment

The means of production (namely land, labor, capital and sometimes entrepreneurship) contained in an area. In general, greater factor endowment portends greater economic success. However, some resource-poor countries and regions become successful simply by efficient use of the little factor endowment they have.

factor endowment

the FACTORS OF PRODUCTION that a country has available to produce goods and services. The size and quality of a country's resource base (natural resources, labour and capital) determine the amount of goods and services it can produce (see GROSS NATIONAL PRODUCT) and the rate at which it can raise living standards over time (see ECONOMIC GROWTH). Differences between countries in terms of the availability and sophistication of their resource inputs provide an incentive for them to engage in INTERNATIONAL TRADE in order to obtain products that they cannot make efficiently for themselves.