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Merriam-Webster gives as one definition of competition (relating to [[business sector|business]]) as "[...] rivalry: such as [...] the effort of two or more parties acting independently to secure the business of a third party by offering the most favorable terms".<ref>Compare: [http://m-w.com/dictionary/competition Definition of competition] - "competition [...] 1 : the act or process of competing : rivalry: such as [...] a : the effort of two or more parties acting independently to secure the business of a third party by offering the most favorable terms "</ref> [[Adam Smith]] in his 1776 book ''[[The Wealth of Nations]]'' and later economists described competition in general as allocating productive [[resource]]s to their most highly valued uses and encouraging [[X-inefficiency|efficiency]].<ref>[[George J. Stigler]] ([[The New Palgrave: A Dictionary of Economics|[1987]]] 2008). "competition," ''[[The New Palgrave Dictionary of Economics]]''. [http://www.dictionaryofeconomics.com/article?id=pde2008_C000261&q=competition&topicid=&result_number=6 Abstract.] | Merriam-Webster gives as one definition of competition (relating to [[business sector|business]]) as "[...] rivalry: such as [...] the effort of two or more parties acting independently to secure the business of a third party by offering the most favorable terms".<ref>Compare: [http://m-w.com/dictionary/competition Definition of competition] - "competition [...] 1 : the act or process of competing : rivalry: such as [...] a : the effort of two or more parties acting independently to secure the business of a third party by offering the most favorable terms "</ref> [[Adam Smith]] in his 1776 book ''[[The Wealth of Nations]]'' and later economists described competition in general as allocating productive [[resource]]s to their most highly valued uses and encouraging [[X-inefficiency|efficiency]].<ref>[[George J. Stigler]] ([[The New Palgrave: A Dictionary of Economics|[1987]]] 2008). "competition," ''[[The New Palgrave Dictionary of Economics]]''. [http://www.dictionaryofeconomics.com/article?id=pde2008_C000261&q=competition&topicid=&result_number=6 Abstract.] | ||
{{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150215032134/http://www.dictionaryofeconomics.com/article?id=pde2008_C000261&q=competition&topicid=&result_number=6 |date=2015-02-15 }}</ref>{{qn|date=March 2020}} Later [[microeconomic theory]] distinguished between [[perfect competition]] and [[imperfect competition]], concluding that no system of resource allocation is more efficient than [[perfect competition]].{{citation needed|date=March 2020}} Competition, according to the theory, causes commercial firms to develop new products, services and technologies, which would give consumers greater selection and better products. The greater selection typically causes lower prices for the products, compared to what the price would be if there was no competition ([[monopoly]]) or little competition ([[oligopoly]]).{{citation needed|date=March 2020}} | {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150215032134/http://www.dictionaryofeconomics.com/article?id=pde2008_C000261&q=competition&topicid=&result_number=6 |date=2015-02-15 }}</ref>{{qn|date=March 2020}} Later [[microeconomic theory]] distinguished between [[perfect competition]] and [[imperfect competition]], concluding that no system of resource allocation is more efficient than [[perfect competition]].{{citation needed|date=March 2020}} Competition, according to the theory, causes commercial firms to develop new products, services and technologies, which would give consumers greater selection and better products. The greater selection typically causes lower prices for the products, compared to what the price would be if there was no competition ([[monopoly]]) or little competition ([[oligopoly]]).{{citation needed|date=March 2020}} | ||
However, competition may also lead to wasted (duplicated) effort and to increased [[cost]]s (and prices) in some circumstances. For example, the intense competition for the small number of [[superstar|top jobs in music and movie-acting]] leads many aspiring musicians and actors to make substantial investments in training which are not recouped, because only a fraction become successful. Critics{{which|date=March 2020}} have also argued that competition can be destabilizing, particularly competition between certain financial institutions. | |||
==Forms== | ==Forms== | ||