The great mathematician Stanislaw Ulam challenged the great economist Paul Samuelson to name a principle in the social sciences that was both true and nonobvious. Samuelson thought for a bit, then ...

Kennedy, Robert E., and Nancy F. Koehn. "Economic Gains from Trade: Comparative Advantage." Harvard Business School Background Note 796-183, June 1996. (Revised November 1996.) ...

David Ricardo, who lived in the late 18 th and early 19 th century in Great Britain, and who was one of the most influential classical economists, coined the term comparative advantage in 1817. He had ...

Alexandra Twin has 15+ years of experience as an editor and writer, covering financial news for public and private companies. Robert Kelly is managing director of XTS Energy LLC, and has more than ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Sarah Williamson covers capital markets and long-term strategies. In a competitive marketplace, businesses need to know their ...