Final answer:
The process outlined is best categorized as licensure, a legal requirement for practicing in specific professions to protect public welfare. The various scenarios listed are classified according to whether they are government-enforced barriers to entry or not. So, the correct answer is option d.
Step-by-step explanation:
The process described that protects the public by legally monitoring entry to public practice, establishing minimum standards, and monitoring ongoing practice through a practice act and disciplinary process is best-called licensure.
Government-Enforced Barriers to Entry
Here are the classifications for the given scenarios:
- A city passing a law on how many licenses it will issue for taxicabs is a government-enforced barrier to entry.
- A city passes a law that all taxicab drivers must pass a driving safety test and have insurance is also a government-enforced barrier to entry.
- A well-known trademark is a barrier to entry that is not government-enforced, as it is created by brand recognition and intellectual property laws rather than direct government regulation.
- Owning a spring that offers very pure water is also a barrier to entry that is not government-enforced, as it is based on natural resource ownership.
- An industry where economies of scale are very large compared to the size of demand in the market presents a barrier to entry that is not government-enforced, as it results from economic factors.