Konkurentsiya

Konkurentsiya is a concept describing rivalry between entities—such as firms, individuals, or organizations—aiming to achieve a goal, most often in the context of scarce resources, market share, or status. In economics, competition arises when multiple buyers and sellers participate, products are substitutable, and barriers to entry are relatively low. The term is used in many languages, and is derived from the Latin competere, meaning to strive together.

In economic terms, konkurentsiya is a key driver of market dynamics. It shapes price formation, product variety, quality, and innovation. Market structures are commonly described as perfect competition, monopolistic competition, oligopoly, and monopoly, each with different levels of rivalry, product differentiation, and barriers to entry. Competition also appears in other fields, such as business strategy, where firms seek to outperform rivals, and in consumer behavior, where individuals compare options to fulfill needs efficiently.

Biology and ecology describe competition as interactions among organisms for limited resources like food, space, or mates. Social and cultural contexts view competition in sports, education, and markets as a structured activity that can motivate achievement and progress, or, if unmanaged, lead to conflicts and wasteful expenditure of resources.

Regulation and policy play a role in maintaining healthy konkurentsiya. Competition law and antitrust regulation aim to prevent cartels, abusive practices, and anti-competitive mergers while preserving incentives for efficiency and innovation. History links the concept to classical economics, with formal competition policy developing notably in the 20th century to balance free rivalry with consumer welfare and market stability.