MERGER: The consolidation of two separately-owned businesses under single ownership. This can be accomplished through a mutual, "friendly" agreement by both parties, or through a "hostile takeover," in which one business gets ownership without cooperation from the other. Mergers fall into one of three classes -- (1) horizontal--two competing firms in the same industry that sell the same products, (2) vertical--two firms in different stages of the production of one good, such that the output of one business is the input of the other, and (3) conglomerate--two firms that are in totally, completely separated industries.

     See also | oligopoly | market structure | collusion | horizontal merger | vertical merger | conglomerate merger | antitrust laws | cartel | monopoly | competition |

MERGER, AmosWEB GLOSS*arama, http://www.AmosWEB.com, AmosWEB LLC, 2000-2025. [Accessed: July 15, 2025].

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The second of seven basic rules of the economy, stating that market prices are determined by subjective values and the preferences of buyers and resource owners. Contrary to popular opinion, prices and costs are not immutably facts of nature, but are ultimately based on what people are willing to pay or accept.

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