oligopolies
Market with few
Oligopolies is the plural of oligopoly—a market dominated by a small number of large sellers.
Unlike a monopoly with one player, an oligopoly has a few competitors who watch each other closely and often match prices or strategies.
Airlines, telecommunications, and major tech platforms are frequently cited as oligopolies: The streaming wars are really just oligopolies competing for subscribers.
Collusive business alliances
- price-fixingCoordinated artificial cost-setting
- bid-riggingIllegal auction coordination
- OPECPetroleum exporters' coalition
Against corporate market dominance
- enforcementCompelling compliance with rules
- FTCCommerce regulatory agency
- DOJFederal legal enforcement agency
- legislationOfficial enactment of statutes
oversight · divestiture · breakup · fines · compliance
Sustained single-minded attention
Ongoing contest between opponents
- advertisingPaid promotional communication
- brandingCreating distinctive identity
- differentiationRecognizing meaningful differences
- innovationCreating something original
Remote signal transmission technology
- airlinesCommercial flight operators
- bankingFinancial institution transactions
- pharmaceuticalsManufactured therapeutic substances
- automotiveRelating to motor vehicles
oil · cereal · beer · semiconductor
Exclusive rights to inventions
- licensingGranting official permission
- lobbyingAdvocating to decision-makers
- incumbencyHolding an official position
interdependence
Reciprocal reliance between entities
- duopolyTwo-seller market structure
cartels
Collusive business alliances
- price-fixingCoordinated artificial cost-setting
- bid-riggingIllegal auction coordination
- OPECPetroleum exporters' coalition
antitrust
Against corporate market dominance
- enforcementCompelling compliance with rules
- FTCCommerce regulatory agency
- DOJFederal legal enforcement agency
legislation · oversight · divestiture · breakup · fines · compliance
concentration
Sustained single-minded attention
- hegemonyDominant group's control
- leverageBorrowed capital for amplified returns
- influencePower to affect others
giants · behemoths · incumbents · gatekeepers · kingmakers
rivalry
Ongoing contest between opponents
- advertisingPaid promotional communication
- brandingCreating distinctive identity
- differentiationRecognizing meaningful differences
innovation · acquisitions · mergers · first-mover · retaliation
telecommunications
Remote signal transmission technology
- airlinesCommercial flight operators
- bankingFinancial institution transactions
- pharmaceuticalsManufactured therapeutic substances
automotive · oil · cereal · beer · semiconductor
patents
Exclusive rights to inventions
- licensingGranting official permission
- lobbyingAdvocating to decision-makers
- incumbencyHolding an official position
- business combinationsmergers, cartels, conglomerates, consortiums, holding companies
- antitrustantitrust, price fixing, cartel, collusion, antitrust laws
- Islamic commerceIslamic finance, Islamic banking, dinar, dirham, business transactions
oligopoliesperfect competition
Frictionless market ideal
free markets · competitive markets · open markets · monopolies
oligopoliesworker cooperatives
Collectively owned democratic businesses
commons · cottage industries · open competition · cooperatives · level playing fields