COMPETITION: In general, the actions of two or more rivals in pursuit of the same objective. In the context of markets, the specific objective is either selling goods to buyers or alternatively buying goods from sellers. Competition tends to come in two varieties -- competition among the few, which is market with a small number of sellers (or buyers), such that each seller (or buyer) has some degree of market control, and competition among the many, which is a market with so many buyers and sellers that none is able to influence the market price or quantity exchanged. See also | market | fourth rule of competition | efficiency | market control | market structure | perfect competition | monopoly | monopolistic competition | oligopoly | unfair competition | market share | antitrust laws |
