10 Difference between Oligopoly and Monopoly (With Table)

What is the main difference between oligopoly and monopoly? Oligopoly is where a few large firm a dominate the market whereas monopoly is where a single firm dominates the market.

Oligopoly and monopoly are examples of market structures with unique characteristics. Each market structure has some economic and social impact in the society.

Many people find it challenging to distinguish monopoly from oligopoly. We wrote this post to share detailed insights into the differences and similarities between oligopoly and monopoly.

Difference between Oligopoly and Monopoly With Table

Basic Terms	Oligopoly	Monopoly
Number of Firms	A few large firms dominate the market.	A single firm completely dominates the market.
Market Share	Firms have significant but not total market share.	One firm has a 100% market share.
Price Control	Limited price control due to competition.	Full price control; the monopolist sets prices.
Barriers to Entry	High barriers to entry for new firms.	Extremely high barriers, often legally protected.
Product Differentiation	Some product differentiation among firms.	No product differentiation; single product.
Non-Price Competition	Firms engage in non-price competition (e.g., advertising).	No non-price competition; no rivals.
Elasticity of Demand	Demand is relatively inelastic.	Demand is inelastic in the short run, more elastic in the long run.
Market Power	Firms have significant but not absolute market power.	Monopolist has absolute market power.
Output Control	Firms have limited control over output and prices.	Monopolist has full control over output and prices.
Examples	Automobile industry, soft drinks, telecommunications.	Local utilities (e.g., water, electricity).

What Is Oligopoly?

Oligopoly is a market structure in economics characterized by a situation in which a relatively small number of large firms or companies dominate the market for a particular product or service.

The actions and decisions of one firm significantly affect and influence the behavior of the other firms in the market. These firms typically produce products that have close substitutes.

Key features of oligopoly include:

Oligopolistic markets are characterized by a limited number of dominant firms, often just a handful, which may account for a significant share of the market.
The firms in an oligopoly are interdependent, meaning they must consider how their competitors will react to their decisions. This leads to strategic thinking, as a firm’s actions can impact its competitors’ market share and profitability.
Oligopolistic markets often have high barriers to entry, making it challenging for new firms to enter and compete. These barriers can include economies of scale, access to resources, capital requirements, and government regulations.
Firms in an oligopoly may offer differentiated products or services, but these products are often close substitutes, leading to competition based on branding, quality, and innovation.
Oligopolistic firms tend to avoid aggressive price competition. Instead, they may engage in non-price competition, such as advertising, product development, and customer service.
Oligopolistic firms may engage in collusion, where they cooperate to set prices and production levels. This can result in a more monopolistic outcome. Cartels, which are illegal in many countries, are a form of explicit collusion.
Game theory is often used to analyze the strategic interactions and decision-making of firms in an oligopoly. It helps firms predict how their competitors might react to different strategies.
One firm may take a dominant role in setting prices, and others in the industry may follow its lead, a practice known as price leadership.

Examples of oligopolistic markets include the automobile industry, telecommunications, and the soft drink industry. In these markets, a few major companies dominate and compete based on product differentiation, marketing, and other non-price factors.

Oligopolies are common in various industries, and they often give rise to complex competitive dynamics and strategic behavior among firms, making them a central focus of economic analysis and antitrust regulation.

What Is Monopoly?

A monopoly is a market structure in which a single firm or entity is the sole provider or seller of a particular product, service, or resource, and it has complete control over the market.

The market has no close substitutes for the product or service. The monopolistic firm is considered the industry itself. Monopolies have the ability to set prices, control supply, and effectively dominate the market without competition.

Key characteristics of a monopoly include:

In a monopoly, there is only one firm that controls the entire market, making it the exclusive provider of the product or service.
The monopolist offers a product or service that has no close substitutes. Consumers have no alternative options for fulfilling their needs.
Monopolies often have high barriers to entry, which prevent other firms from entering the market and competing. These barriers can be related to patents, government regulations, economies of scale, control of essential resources, or significant capital requirements.
The monopoly firm has significant market power, which means it can influence prices, output levels, and overall market conditions without considering the reactions of competitors.
A monopolist is a price maker, not a price taker. It has the ability to set the price at a level that maximizes its own profits.
With no competition, monopolies do not face the competitive pressures that other market structures do. They can maintain higher prices and lower quantities to maximize profits.
Monopolies can be subject to government regulation, particularly when they operate in industries deemed essential or natural monopolies (e.g., utilities like water and electricity).
Some monopolies arise from patents and intellectual property rights, which grant a firm exclusive control over a specific invention or innovation.

Examples of monopolies include local utilities such as water or electricity providers in certain regions, where a single entity is the sole supplier, and the existence of competing firms is often impractical.

Natural monopolies, such as infrastructure or public transportation, also tend to exhibit monopolistic characteristics due to high infrastructure costs and economies of scale.

Monopolies are generally subject to antitrust laws and regulations in many countries to prevent anti-competitive behavior and protect consumer interests. Governments may choose to regulate or even nationalize monopolies to ensure fair pricing and access for consumers.

Monopoly power and market dominance can have both positive and negative economic and social consequences, and the role of government regulation and intervention varies depending on the specific circumstances and industry in question.

Main Difference between Oligopoly and Monopoly

Number of Firms

Oligopoly: A few large firms dominate.

Monopoly: A single firm dominates.

Market Share

Oligopoly: Firms have significant but not total market share.

Monopoly: One firm has 100% market share.

Price Control

Oligopoly: Limited price control due to competition.

Monopoly: Full price control; monopolist sets prices.

Barriers to Entry

Oligopoly: High barriers to entry.

Monopoly: Extremely high barriers.

Product Differentiation

Oligopoly: Some product differentiation among firms.

Monopoly: No product differentiation; single product.

Non-Price Competition

Oligopoly: Firms engage in non-price competition.

Monopoly: No non-price competition; no rivals.

Elasticity of Demand

Oligopoly: Demand is relatively inelastic.

Monopoly: Demand is inelastic in the short run, more elastic in the long run.

Market Power

Oligopoly: Firms have significant but not absolute market power.

Monopoly: Monopolist has absolute market power.

Output Control

Oligopoly: Firms have limited control over output and prices.

Monopoly: Monopolist has full control over output and prices.

Examples

Oligopoly: Automobile industry, soft drinks, telecommunications.

Monopoly: Local utilities (e.g., water, electricity).

Similarities between Oligopoly and Monopoly

Both are market structures characterized by a limited number of firms.
Both often involve high barriers to entry, making it difficult for new firms to enter the market.
Both have the potential to exert significant market power and influence over prices.
Both may result in firms engaging in non-price competition (e.g., advertising and product differentiation).

Conclusion

Oligopoly and monopoly represent two distinct market structures with significant differences in terms of the number of firms, product differentiation, price control, and barriers to entry.

Oligopoly features a small number of dominant firms with limited price control, whereas monopoly is characterized by a single firm with full price control.

These differences have substantial implications for market dynamics, competition, and consumer welfare. Understanding these distinctions is essential for analyzing and addressing economic and regulatory challenges associated with each market structure.

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