Oligopoly

Équivalents : Oligopole
Oligopolio
Domaine : Production organization

Définition

A domestic or international market structure dominated by a few large firms or sellers who own or control the production of a particular good or provision of services.

Description

As oligopolists are reluctant to engage in price competition, there is an opportunity for monopolistic profits to accrue to the small number of firms in the market.

In an oligopolistic market, each firm is large enough to affect prices but none holds an uncontested monopoly position. "While limited price competition may occur among sellers in an oligopoly, a single large producer may assume a leadership position in establishing prices or terms of sale that the other firms will tacitly follow. When concerned action or collusion occurs among oligopolistic firms, the association is known as a cartel."
(Institute for Trade and Commercial Diplomacy, Oligopoly, Economic & Commercial Concepts & Terms, 2004, visited 2011-03-101)

Relations sémantiques

Associatives

AGRIBUSINESS (En)
© Jeanne Dancette