External Benefit

External Benefit

The benefit of a transaction to parties who do not directly participate in it. Externality can be either positive or negative. For example, a merger can lead to higher share prices and bonuses for employees, benefiting shareholders and employees at the two companies merging. This can create wealth and positively impact a community. A transaction may have both external benefits and external costs: a transaction may result in a factory opening in one city and one closing in another. An external benefit is also called positive externality. See also: Externality.