Monopoly Markets (Cambridge (CIE) O Level Economics)

Revision Note

Characteristics of Monopoly Markets

  • A monopoly is a market structure in which there is a single seller

  • There are no substitute products

  • The firm has complete market power and is able to set prices and control output

    • This allows the firm to maximise profit

    • There is no long-run erosion of profit levels as competitors are unable to enter the industry

  • High barriers to entry exist

    • One of the main barriers is the ability of the monopoly to prevent any competition from entering the market

      • E.g. By purchasing companies who are a potential threat

  • Many governments define a monopoly as any firm having more than 25% market share

    • Regulators act to prevent market share increasing beyond this level

    • It helps to maintain competition within the market
       

The Advantages and Disadvantages of Monopoly Power

Stakeholder

Advantages

Disadvantages

The Firm

  • Large profits generate money for continued investment in technology and product innovation

  • Market power enables the firm to increase its global competitiveness

  • Economies of scale can increase thereby lowering the average cost

  • Price discrimination: the firm can charge consumers different prices based on the different price elasticity of demand for the product e.g. peak (inelastic) and off-peak (elastic) travel on trains

  • Due to a lack of competition, there is a reduced incentive to be efficient

  • Cross subsidisation can create inefficiencies

  • Monopolies lead to a misallocation of resources as they limit supply in order to increase price

  • Due to a lack of competition, innovation sometimes lacks effectiveness 

Employees

  • Large profits often result in higher wages

  • Having only one supplier in the industry limits the opportunity to change employers

Consumers

  • Product innovation due to the firm's large profits may result in a better-quality product

  • Cross subsidisation can lower prices on some products that the firm provides

  • Prices may fall If firms pass on their cost savings to consumers (due to economies of scale) in the form of lower product prices

  • A lack of competition is likely to result in higher prices as no substitute goods are available

  • A lack of competition may result in no product innovation and worse product quality over time

  • May experience worse customer service as the incentive to improve it is limited

  • Cross subsidisation is likely to increase prices on some products offered by the firm

Suppliers

  • Increased sales volume for some suppliers as they are able to supply products that are distributed nationally or internationally

  • There is less competition for their products and a monopoly often has the power to dictate what price they will pay to suppliers

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