Question

Why is it relatively easy for firms to enter and leave a monopolistically competitive market?

Answer 1

A monopolistically competitive market is, by definition, constituted by a large number of firms that compete producing diferenced versions of a product. Such companies are not price-takers and they hold certain degree of power market and of control over the pricing decisions.

However, in a market that comprises so many actors in its supply side, the market power is splitted in many small units and the amount exercised by each is not very strong. Firms operating in this market structure do not have enough power to affect their rivals through their internal decisions and also not enough power to affect potential competitors and to prevent their entrance. They cannot set entry barriers to prevent the entrance of new companies in the market.