Microsoft and its operating system are often cited as an example of a company that grew into a monopolist through:

A) ownership of a resource.
B) patents.
C) network externalities.
D) large economies of scale.

Network Externalities

The effect that an additional user of a good or service has on the value of that product to others, often positive, as in the case of telecommunications networks.

Monopolist

A monopolist is a single supplier in a market who has significant control over prices and the availability of a product or service.

Economies of Scale

Economies of scale are cost advantages that enterprises obtain due to size, output, or scale of operation, with cost per unit of output generally decreasing with increasing scale.