7-3: OTHER MARKET STRUCTURES
CHARACTERISTICS OF MONOPOLISTIC
COMPETITION
Monopolistic competition: when many sellers offer similar, but not standardized products
CHARACTERISTICS OF MONOPOLISTIC
COMPETITION (CONTINUED)
2 features of monopolistic competition are product differentiation and nonprice competition
Product differentiation: attempt to distinguish a product from similar products
CHARACTERISTICS OF MONOPOLISTIC
COMPETITION (CONTINUED)
Nonprice competition: using factors other than low price, such as style, service, advertising, or giveaways to convince consumers to buy their products
CHARACTERISTICS OF MONOPOLISTIC
COMPETITION
Many sellers and many buyers
Meaningful competition exists
Example: there are many restaurants where you can buy a hamburger
CHARACTERISTICS OF MONOPOLISTIC
COMPETITION (CONTINUED)
Similar but differentiated products
Sellers try to convince consumers that their product is different from that of the competition
CHARACTERISTICS OF MONOPOLISTIC
COMPETITION (CONTINUED)
. Limited control of prices
Product differentiation gives producers limited control over price
Consumers will buy substitute goods if the price goes too high
CHARACTERISTICS OF MONOPOLISTIC
COMPETITION (CONTINUED)
. Freedom to enter or exit the market
No huge barriers to enter a monopolistically competitive market
When firms make a profit, other firms enter the market and increase competition
OLIGOPOLY
Definition: market structure in which only a few sellers offer a similar product
Few large firms have a large market share: percent of total sales in a market
OLIGOPOLY (CONTINUED)
There are few firms in an oligopoly due to high start-up costs—the expenses that a new business faces when it enters a market
4 CHARACTERISTICS OF OLIGOPOLIES
1. Few sellers and many buyers
Generally where the 4 largest firms control 40% of the market
Example: breakfast cereal industry
4 CHARACTERISTICS OF OLIGOPOLIES
(CONTINUED)
2. Standardized or differentiated products
Products can be standard such as steel
They try to differentiate themselves based on brand name, service, or location
Or, products can be differentiated such as cereal and soft drinks
They use marketing strategies to separate them from competitors
4 CHARACTERISTICS OF OLIGOPOLIES
(CONTINUED)
3. More control of prices
Each firm had a large enough share of the market that its decisions about price and supply affect one another
4 CHARACTERISTICS OF OLIGOPOLIES
(CONTINUED)
4. Little freedom to enter or exit market
Set-up costs are high
Firms have established brands, making it hard for new firms to enter the market successfully
7-4: REGULATION AND
DEREGULATION TODAY
REGULATION
Definition: set of rules or laws designed to control business behavior to promote competition and protect consumers
ANTITRUST LEGISLATION
Definition: laws that define monopolies and give government the power to control them and break them up
TRUST
Trust: when a group of firms are combined to reduce competition in an industry
Example: Standard Oil Company
MERGER
Merger: when 2 firms join together to become 1
If a merger will eliminate competition it will be denied by the government
ENFORCING ANTITRUST LEGISLATION
The FTC and the Department of
Justice are responsible for enforcing antitrust laws
DEREGULATION
Definition: reducing or removing government control of a business
Results in lower prices for consumers and more competition
Example: airline industry was deregulated in 1978
QUESTIONS
1. In 2005, a major U.s. automaker announced a new discount plan for its cars for the month of
June. It offered consumers the same price that its employees paid for new cars. When the automaker announced in early July that it was extending the plan for another month, the other 2 major U.S. automakers announced similar plans. What market structure is exhibited in this story and what specific characteristics of that market structure does it demonstrate?
ENDORSEMENTS
2. Why do manufacturers of athletic shoes spend money to sign up professional athletes to wear and promote their shoes rather than differentiating their products strictly on the basis of physical characteristics such as design and comfort?
3. The Telecommunications Act of 1996 included provisions to deregulate the cable industry. In 2003, consumers complained that cable rates had increased by 45% since the law was passed. Only 5% of American homes had a choice of more than 1 cable provider in 2003. Those homes paid about
17% less than those with no choice of cable provider. How effective had deregulation been in the cable industry by 2003? Explain your reasoning.