Competitive Markets (Cambridge (CIE) O Level Economics)

Revision Note

Steve Vorster

Written by: Steve Vorster

Reviewed by: Jenna Quinn

An Introduction To Competitive and Monopoly Markets

  • Each firm operates in a specific market

  • The conditions in different markets can vary significantly and are determined by the market structure in which the firm operates

  • There are a range of market structures, however your syllabus only requires you to know the characteristics of two - competitive markets and monopolies

  • Competitive markets are those with an extremely high degree of competition

  • A monopoly is a market structure in which one firm dominates the market and has significant market power

Diagram showing characteristics of market structures: numbers of sellers, type of information, type of product, firm's price setting behavior, barriers to entry, and numbers of buyers.
The six characteristics which determine the type of market structure a firm operates in - competitive or monopoly
  • The answers to the questions above determine the type of market structure in which a firm is operating in

    • If a firm is selling a unique product (e.g. handmade car) it is likely operating in a monopoly market and setting high prices

Characteristics of Competitive Markets

  • The characteristics of a competitive market are as follows

  1. There are many buyers and sellers: due to the number of market participants sellers are price takers

  2. There are no barriers to entry and exit from the industry: firms can start-up or leave the industry with relative ease which increases the level of competition

  3. Buyers and sellers possess perfect knowledge of prices: this assumption presupposes perfect information e.g. if one seller lowers their price then all buyers will know about it

  4. The products are homogenous: this means firms are unable to build brand loyalty as perfect substitutes exist and any price changes will result in losing customers

Advantages and Disadvantages of Competitive Markets

Advantages

Disadvantages

  • Lower prices: competition causes firms to lower prices for consumers in an attempt to gain market share

  • Better quality: firms innovate and continuously seek to improve their quality of their goods/services in order to become recognised in a crowded market

  • More choice: more sellers equals more choice for consumers 

  • Worse quality: in a bid to lower prices, product quality may actually deteriorate over time

  • Too much choice: consumers may be overwhelmed and not explore the full range of market offerings, instead sticking to what they know

  • Worker welfare: the greater the competition the greater the need to cut costs, often resulting in low wages and poor working environments

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Steve Vorster

Author: Steve Vorster

Expertise: Economics & Business Subject Lead

Steve has taught A Level, GCSE, IGCSE Business and Economics - as well as IBDP Economics and Business Management. He is an IBDP Examiner and IGCSE textbook author. His students regularly achieve 90-100% in their final exams. Steve has been the Assistant Head of Sixth Form for a school in Devon, and Head of Economics at the world's largest International school in Singapore. He loves to create resources which speed up student learning and are easily accessible by all.

Jenna Quinn

Author: Jenna Quinn

Expertise: Head of New Subjects

Jenna studied at Cardiff University before training to become a science teacher at the University of Bath specialising in Biology (although she loves teaching all three sciences at GCSE level!). Teaching is her passion, and with 10 years experience teaching across a wide range of specifications – from GCSE and A Level Biology in the UK to IGCSE and IB Biology internationally – she knows what is required to pass those Biology exams.