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Differentiating Between Market Structures

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Differentiating Between Market Structures
ECO/365
April 15, 2013
Sangeeta Bishop Differentiating Between Market Structures
Microsoft is the software giant responsible for bringing Windows to the PC. Microsoft is also a known and respected company in a global market. The tech giant has dominated the computer industry since its start in 1981. Due to the nature of such a huge company, Microsoft has its hands in multiple markets. Microsoft currently competes in file hosting, software, operating systems, and gaming consoles. Unfortunately, each one of the aforementioned markets differ from one another. For the purpose of this discussion, the market that is of concern is Microsoft’s evolvement in operating systems. Determining the market structure Microsoft competes in with regards to operating systems makes it much more manageable to implement competitive strategies to maximize profits.
At a quick glance at the competitors, Microsoft has in operating systems one might think Microsoft operates in a monopoly. However, this is untrue. In a true monopoly, there is one seller, no close substitutes, blocked entry, and one firm that controls price. Microsoft currently competes with multiple companies like Apple, Google, Linux, Unix, and Sun Microsystems. Even though the market share of these companies is rather small if even noticeable, Microsoft would not fit into a monopoly category. In a recent study on market share of operating systems, Microsoft currently holds 91.62% of the desktop operating system market ("Netmarketshare", n.d). Because of this Microsoft competes in an oligopoly market. An oligopoly market is defined as,
Market situation in which producers are so few that the actions of each of them have an impact on price and on competitors. Each producer must consider the effect of a price change on the others. A cut in price by one may lead to an equal

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