Monopoly competition is essentially a form of imperfect competition where there are so many different manufacturers competing against each other and selling different products, however, they are not very close substitutes and thus are not very good substitutes. In this competitive environment there will be a great deal of price variation across the market, and there is likely to be little consumer protection. The result is that the market share for the dominant manufacturer is extremely high, while the prices of other firms go up and down. In addition, there is often no effective consumer protection, as the dominant firm can take its legal risks to the full extent.
What is monopolistic competition? Basically, monopolistic competition occurs when there is an excessive concentration of manufacturing output in a given market. In the case of monopoly, the production process is controlled by a single firm and all others are forced to buy their products through the firm. In this competitive environment, prices can also vary widely across firms, sometimes with no obvious relationship between firm size and pricing power.
The presence of a large number of small firms in markets with little competition leads to increased price and quantity variation among competing firms. It can lead to price variation in goods that do not have competitive implications at all.
Monopoly prices can be driven by economies of scale. If a firm has a large amount of production capacity, it may be able to charge more than other firms, even if the same product is offered by them. This is because the firm would have more products available than any rival firm, and its production costs would make up for the difference in pricing power.
Monopoly pricing can also be caused by government regulation or intervention. In some markets, a firm with strong lobbying power is able to gain a monopoly, and the government gives subsidies or other support. In other markets, such as shipping, tariffs are imposed on shipping within a given geographical area, making it more difficult for another firm to enter the market.
Monopoly pricing is often caused by a lack of consumer protection. Many firms have been known to adopt price policies to protect the quality of their products and prevent the entry of cheaper competitors. Some of these practices are illegal in certain countries, though others are legal but less effective. A few firms do not have the necessary resources or expertise to establish adequate quality control. In any case, if consumers are not able to rely on the firm’s quality, they will resort to buying the firm’s competitor’s products.
Monopoly pricing can also be caused by a firm’s monopoly ownership of market share. If there is a firm with complete control over a given sector, there is likely to be little, if any, competition in that sector. As long as the firm sells its own product at a lower price than its rivals’ products, it will be able to secure a larger share of the market.
Monopoly pricing can also be caused by the existence of firms that have acquired significant market power. This is most common in markets with economies of scale. Even if there is a substantial amount of competition in the market, these firms can still command prices that are much higher than other firms.
It is important for consumers to insist that their governments regulate competitive prices. The Federal Trade Commission can do so through setting reasonable price controls.
Monopolistic pricing can also be prevented by establishing price ceilings. However, this may not always be possible, since price controls can be very complex, and some firms will be able to obtain price controls by other means.
Competition in the economy may also result from the presence of barriers to entry. that prevent a firm from entering a market, which may restrict competition. or encourage firms to enter a market.
