chap 7 Flashcards
market structure
is an economic model of competition among businesses in the same industry.
perfect competition
is the ideal model of a market economy.
standardized product
is one that consumers see as identical regardless of producer.
price taker
is a business that accepts the market price determined by supply and demand.
imperfect competition
occurs in markets that have few sellers or products that are not standardized.
monopoly
occurs when there is only one seller of a product that has no close substitutes.
cartel
is a group that acts together to set prices and limit output.
price maker
is a firm that does not have to consider competitors when setting the prices of its products.
barrier to entry
makes it hard for a new business to enter a market
natural monopoly
occurs when the costs of production are lowest with only one producer.
government monopoly
exists when the government either owns and runs the business or authorizes only one producer.
technological monopoly
occurs when a firm controls a manufacturing method, invention, or type of technology.
geographic monopoly
exists when there are no other producers within a certain region
economies of scale
occur when the average cost of production falls as the producer grows larger.
patent
gives an inventor the exclusive property rights to that invention or process for a certain number of years