A Comparison of Two Monopolists in a Competitive Market Essay

A Comparison of Two Monopolists in a Competitive Market According to Webster , to have a monopoly is to have exclusive ownership, possession, or control. The following essay is an examination of Microsoft in comparison to this definition and another commonly known monopoly, Standard Oil. Also attention will be given to the necessary role of and problems with monopolies. Competitive Market vs. Monopoly A competitive market consists of many buyers and sellers. Markets thrive because an equilibrium price is established through natural competition and no single buyer or seller can affect that price. Instead both buyer and seller must take the price given by the market based on the dynamics of†¦show more content†¦Such actions generally target existing competition or prevent the rise of future competitors. Some examples of such actions are refusal to sell to a particular customer in order to eliminate competition, lowering prices below cost (price war), and contracts that close channels of distribution or supplies to competitors. T hough its interpretation is not particularly clear, The Sherman Anti-Trust Act is the standard used for determining trade misconduct and violates. Standard Oil January 2, 1882 marked the formation of the Standard Oil Trust. It was the invention of attorney Samuel Dodd and fuelled by the control of John D. Rockefeller. Rockefeller began by concentrating on the refining business. He then expanded to other aspects of the oil industry to include extraction, sales, transportation, research, marketing even to the point of barrel manufacturing. The practices that brought Standard Oil to its peak became the evidence of its demise. Rockefeller kept a low profile on his company earnings and hid the profits by reinvesting. Other acts were more covert and damaging. Standard Oil had agreements with the railroads in which the railroad provided not only a lower transportation price but also gave a Standard Oil a kickback from the higher prices charged to competitors. The railroad also provided inf ormation regarding competitors shipments. This greatlyShow MoreRelatedClassification of Market Structure and Its Importance1552 Words   |  7 Pages CLASSIFICATION OF MARKET STRUTURE AND ITS IMPORTANCE INTRODUCTION In an economy, goods and services are produced for the ultimate satisfaction of the consumers. Therefore, all finished goods and services must be sold to the consumers. The process of exchange of these goods is essential. Thus, market is such a place where buyers and sellers gather in order to buy and sell a particular good or commodity. The term market refers not necessarily to a place but always to a commodityRead MoreCompetition Policy : Theory And Practice1477 Words   |  6 Pages Market Power 1. 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