Which market structure is defined by a single producer?

The market structure defined by a single producer is known as a monopoly. In a monopoly, one firm dominates the entire market for a particular good or service, which means that it is the sole provider and has significant control over pricing and supply. This occurs because there are high barriers to entry for other firms, which can range from legal restrictions, high startup costs, or control of essential resources.

In contrast, pure competition features many producers competing, each selling identical products and having no significant control over market prices. Monopolistic competition is characterized by many producers offering differentiated products, allowing for some degree of pricing power. An oligopoly consists of a few large firms that dominate a market, leading to interdependent pricing and output decisions. Thus, monopoly is unique because it lacks competition entirely, giving the single producer unmatched market power.