Which market structure is defined as having a few large firms dominating the market?

The market structure characterized by a small number of large firms dominating the market is known as an oligopoly. In this type of market, a few firms have significant market power, which allows them to influence prices and output levels within the industry. The actions of one firm can directly impact the others, leading to interdependent decision-making.

Oligopolies often arise due to high barriers to entry, such as substantial startup costs or the control of essential resources, which prevent new competitors from easily entering the market. This concentration of firms can lead to various competitive behaviors, including collusion, where firms coordinate their pricing and output decisions to maximize collective profits.

In contrast, other market structures do not fit this description. A monopoly involves a single firm dominating the entire market, perfect competition is defined by many small firms with no individual market power, and imperfect competition encompasses various other structures that fall between perfect competition and monopoly but do not specifically emphasize a few large firms as oligopolies do. Understanding these distinctions is crucial for grasping the dynamics of market structures and their implications for competition and pricing.