<![CDATA[The digital economy has transformed the sources of market power, challenging classical theories of monopoly that centre on resource ownership, economies of scale, and conventional barriers to entry. This study examines how monopoly has evolved in the digital era and how data, algorithms, and network effects generate and reinforce market power. It employs a systematic literature review (SLR) of scholarly articles on monopoly theory, the digital economy, digital platforms, artificial intelligence, and competition policy. The literature was identified, screened, synthesised, and interpreted to develop a comprehensive conceptual framework. The findings indicate that monopoly power is increasingly shaped not by physical assets or legal protection alone, but by data accumulation, algorithmic decision-making, and network effects. Together, these factors create new barriers to market entry, deepen users’ dependence on digital ecosystems, and strengthen platforms’ capacity to control markets. The study argues that monopoly theory must be reconstructed to account for these dynamics and to provide a more adequate basis for competition policy in the digital economy.]]>
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