Robert Schenk, PhD
Cyber Economics: Monopolistic Competition
E-learning site uses an example of "pushcarts on the beach" to demonstrate a monopolistically competitive market structure and how, as more firms enter the market, price, quantity, and deadweight loss are all affected.
Other
South Western Learning: Econ News: Policy Debate: Is Microsoft a Monopoly?
This essay provides a debate-style format on whether or not Microsoft is a monopoly. Previous anti-trust cases are cited, both for and against Microsoft's position. Could be used for a classroom debate or opinion essay.
Other
South Western Learning: Econ News: Monopolistic Competition
A wide variety of newspaper headlines are provided on the subject of economics and monopolistic competition. Each story comes with its own discussion questions.
Robert Schenk, PhD
Cyber Economics: The Demand Curve for Output
This site examines the relationship between a price taker and a price maker, and the market structure to which each might belong.
Wikimedia
Wikipedia: Perfect Competition
This site provides a clear description of the requirements and conditions needed in a market for it to be labeled a perfectly competitive market. The topics of allocative efficiency and productive efficiency are also addressed.
Wikimedia
Wikipedia: Monopoly
Provides a detailed examination of the characteristics of a monopoly, along with various kinds of monopolies, such as natural, local, coercive, and others.
Wikimedia
Wikipedia: Monopolistic Competition
This site provides the characteristics, behaviors, and problems of a firm in a monopolistic competition market structure.
Wikimedia
Wikipedia: Oligopoly
Provides a definition and describes the characteristics of an oligopoly.
Wikimedia
Wikipedia: Cartel
This on-line encyclopedia provides the legal definition and examples of a cartel.
Other
South Western Learning: Econ News: Comparative Statics: Perfect Competition
This site offers economics-based newspaper headlines and asks follow-up questions based on supply and demand in a perfectly competitive market.
Other
South Western Learning: Econ News: Perfect Competition
This site offers a variety of economics-related newspaper headlines in perfectly competitive markets, and each headline offers discussion questions related to that topic.
Missouri State University
Missouri State University: Market Structure: Oligopoly
A good outline of course study on the topics of monopolistic competition, oligopoly, and anti-trust legislation.
Other
Egwald Web Services: Imperfect Competition Models: Differentiated Oligopoly
This site provides an in-depth study of a "differentiated oligopoly," and uses supporting graphs. For the advanced economics student.
Other
Egwald Web Services: Imperfect Competition Models: Monopolistic Competition
This site provides an in-depth examination of monopolistic competition, along with appropriate levels of output, price, and corresponding profits. This site is for the advanced student of economics.
Other
Marietta College: Umw: Oligopoly and Interdependence in the Classroom
This site provides an example of a game tree associated with firms in an oligopoly. This in-class experiment could be used to help study oligopolies, interdependence of firms, or collusion.
University of North Carolina
University of North Carolina: Perfect Competition
This site shows cost curves for a firm in a perfectly competitive market, and has an interactive graph to show what their profit margin is at various levels of production.
Other
Is Ever So Hip Abercrombie & Fitch Losing Edge With Teens? [Doc]
This article asks whether or not Abercrombie & Fitch is "so popular" that it has become "not as popular" with teens anymore. A good example of a firm in a monopolistically competitive market structure. (02/22/2000)
Other
Wall Street Journal: Mc Donald's Launches New Ads, Hoping to Tap Goodwill [Doc]
This article discusses McDonald's new ad campaign in 1997 to compete against Burger King, Wendy's, and other restaurants in a very competitive market. (10/02/1997)
Other
Two Neophytes Bring a Taste of New York to Pittsburgh [Doc]
This article discusses how two entrepreneurs went to New York City to see what was "hot," and brought those ideas to a hungry Pittsburgh region. (02/18/1997)
Other
Crikey: Shopping Mall Oligopoly Cops a Hit
This news article discusses how stores at an Australian shopping mall colluded in order to drive out a new competitor, along with reasons given by the judge. (Dec 19, 2004)
Other
Elemental Economics: Review of Basic Definitions: Competition
This site provides a good description of the four types of market structures: perfect competition, monopolistic competition, oligopoly, and monopoly, along with the major characteristics of each.
Other
The Register: Microsoft Gives Monopoly Robotic Legs
This article argued that Microsoft was becoming a monopoly in the robotics industry by supplying software as a general platform that all forms of robotics could use. (June 20, 2006)
Council for Economic Education
Econ Ed Link: Airline Mergers, Software Industry Monopolies: Contestable Markets?
Mergers within industries such as banking, telecommunications, and airlines have created a stir among consumers who charge that economic freedom and efficiency are being sacrificed in favor of corporate profits. For this lesson, students...
Savvas Learning
Pearson Education: National Brands Versus Private Labels and Generics
This article compares national brands to generic brands, with respect to prices, customer satisfaction, and product differentiation.