What is the difference between a positive production externality and a negative production externality?

Economics Externalities Questions



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What is the difference between a positive production externality and a negative production externality?

A positive production externality occurs when the production of a good or service benefits a third party or society as a whole. This means that the social benefit of producing the good exceeds the private benefit received by the producer. On the other hand, a negative production externality occurs when the production of a good or service imposes costs on a third party or society as a whole. In this case, the social cost of producing the good exceeds the private cost borne by the producer.