You are about to be presented with 10 different markets. Your task is to
place these on the pyramid in order showing the market with the highest
three firm concentration ratio at the top, down to the market with the lowest
3 firm concentration ratio on the bottom row.
You will score points as follow:
• If you get the correct market at the top of the pyramid you earn 2 points.
• If you get a market on the correct level of the pyramid but not on the
correct number you earn 1 point. If you place the firm on the exact
number you will receive 2 points!
• There are no points it you place the firm on the wrong level of the
pyramid. There are 20 points available!
• You have 3 minutes to complete the task.
Broadband
Smartphone
manufacturer
Car
Manufacturer
Domestic
Energy
Supply
High Street
Banks
Soft drinks
Supermarkets
Video on
Demand
Click
to
start
timer
National
Newspapers
Wrist
watches
The market with the highest
3 firm concentration ratio
Video on
Demand
80
High Street
Banks
62
National
Newspapers
56.8
The markets with the
4th, 5th and 6th
highest 3 firm
concentration ratio
Domestic
Energy
Supply
58
Supermarkets
61.4
Wrist
watches
46
The markets with the
second and third highest
3 firm concentration ratio
Smartphone
manufacturer
71.6
Broadband
74
Car
Manufacturer
33.64
Soft drinks
25.2
The markets with the 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th highest 3 firm concentration ratio
1
2
The market with the highest
3 firm concentration ratio
The markets with the
second and third highest
3 firm concentration ratio
3
My score:
4
7
5
8
The markets with the
4th, 5th and 6th
highest 3 firm
concentration ratio
6
9
10
The markets with the 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th highest 3 firm concentration ratio
Car
Manufacturer
Domestic
Energy
Supply
High Street
National
Smartphone
Soft drinks Supermarkets
Newspapers manufacturer
Banks
Video on
Demand
Wrist
watches
Car
Broadband
Manufacturer
Domestic
Energy
Supply
High Street
National
Smartphone
Soft drinks Supermarkets
Newspapers manufacturer
Banks
Video on
Demand
Wrist
watches
Car
Broadband
Manufacturer
Domestic
Energy
Supply
High Street
National
Smartphone
Soft drinks Supermarkets
Newspapers
manufacturer
Banks
Video on
Demand
Wrist
watches
Car
Broadband
Manufacturer
Domestic
Energy
Supply
High Street
National
Smartphone
Soft drinks Supermarkets
Newspapers manufacturer
Banks
Video on
Demand
Wrist
watches
Car
Manufacturer
Domestic
Energy
Supply
High Street
National
Smartphone
Soft drinks Supermarkets
Newspapers manufacturer
Banks
Video on
Demand
Wrist
watches
Broadband
Broadband
1
2
The market with the highest
3 firm concentration ratio
The markets with the
second and third highest
3 firm concentration ratio
3
My score:
4
7
5
8
The markets with the
4th, 5th and 6th
highest 3 firm
concentration ratio
6
9
10
The markets with the 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th highest 3 firm concentration ratio
Broadband
Firm
Car Manufacturer
Market Share
Firm
Domestic Energy Supply
Market Share
Firm
High Street Banks
Market Share
Firm
Market Share
BT
EE
32
4
BMW
Ford
6.99
12.82
British Gas
EDF Energy
29
11
Barclays
HSBC
17
12
Sky
22
Nissan
6.12
EON
14
Lloyds Group
27
Talk Talk
14
Vauxhall
11.64
RBS
18
Virgin Media
20
Volkswagon
9.18
3 firm
concentration
ratio
3 firm
concentration
ratio
Smartphone manufacturer
Firm
Market Share
Market Share
22.9
6.1
16.9
31.8
Coca Cola
Lucozade
Pepsi
Robinsons
14.7
3.4
7.1
2.8
Sony
6.7
Volvic
2.7
3 firm
concentration
ratio
15 Santander
Firm
Asda
Morrisons
Sainsburys
Tesco
The Cooperative
3 firm
concentration
ratio
10
3 firm
concentration
ratio
Supermarkets
Apple
HTC
Nokia
Samsung
3 firm
concentration
ratio
11.5
3 firm
concentration
ratio
Soft drinks
Firm
Scottish
Power
SSE
National Newspapers
Firm
Daily Mail
Daily Mirror
Daily
Telegraph
Evening
Standard
The Sun
Market Share
20.6
12.1
6
9.8
24.1
3 firm
concentration
ratio
Video on Demand
Wrist watches
Market Share
Firm
Market Share
16.4
10.9
16.5
28.5
4oD
BBC iPlayer
Demand Five
ITV Player
20
38
8
22
Fossil
LVMH
Richemont
Rolex
5
4.5
16
12
6.3
Netflix
14
Swatch
18
3 firm
concentration
ratio
Firm
3 firm
concentration
ratio
Market Share
Teacher’s Instructions
The aim of this activity is to give students some real
world data on the level of competitiveness of 10
oligopolistic markets in the UK. The data collected
here is the most up-to-date market share data (as of
August 2015).
The activity can also be used to allow students to
practice calculations of 3 firm concentration ratios.
Running the activity
Method 1 – print out a student sheet (slide 6) for
each student. Run the slideshow from slide 1 and
explain the student task, giving each student a
sheet. Allow students 3 minutes to complete the
task (run slide 2 and click to start a 3 minute timer).
On completion, go to slide 3 and reveal the
answers. Allow students to calculate their score.
Discussions after the activity can lead on why the
markets might have different levels of
competitiveness.
Method 2 – as with method 1 but use the coloured
print out (slide 4) and a set of cards for each market
(slide 5). Students can place cards on their
designated number.
Note: The data on slide 7 could also be used for
students to calculate Herfindahl–Hirschman Index
(HHI) for each industry and then a comparison ran
between the 5 firm concentration ratio and the HHI.
Extension: Before revealing the answers you can
ask the students to calculate the 3 firm
concentration ratio using the data on slide 7 (print
out slide 7 for each student).