Unfair Competition free essay sample

Unfair Competition Unfair competition  in a sense means that the competitors compete on unequal terms, because favourable or disadvantageous conditions are applied to some competitors but not to others; or that the actions of some competitors actively harm the position of others with respect to their ability to compete on equal and fair terms. It contrasts with  fair competition, in which the same rules and conditions are applied to all participants, and the competitive action of some does not harm the ability of others to compete. Often, unfair competition means that the gains of some participants are conditional on the losses of others, when the gains are made in ways which are illegitimate or unjust. Principles of fair competition To an important extent, the principles of fair competition in the business world are defined by law, and therefore unfair competition may well be unlawful or criminal. But because the forms of competition can change continually and new forms of competition may arise, competition may be unfair, but not illegal, at least not until a legal rule is explicitly made to prohibit it. We will write a custom essay sample on Unfair Competition or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The exact meaning of unfair advantage or harm caused in business competition may be vague or in dispute, in particular if different competitors promote different interpretations which suit their own interests. It may be difficult to define what it would mean to compete on equal terms, and the operative terms of competition that exist in reality may be challenged only when a participant is seriously disadvantaged by them. Often equal terms is defined as an equal opportunity or equal chance to compete. †¢ Sport Unfair competition may occur in games if a participant in some way deviates from the rules of the game, or has privileged access to important information or resources that should in principle be available to all participants in the game, or none of them. Participation in the game normally assumes that participants have an equal ability to compete in relevant respects, or are able to acquire it during the game. In sports, for example, a heavyweight boxer is not usually played against a lightweight boxer, and the secret use of drugs to enhance sports performance is usually prohibited in competitions. Cooperation Sometimes unfair competition is also interpreted to mean that the existence of competition as such is unfair or unjust. [citation needed] The argument is then that there should not be any competition. In this case, the alternative to unfair competition is not fair competition, but no competition or cooperation. †¢ Commercial law Unfair competition in commercial law refers to a number of areas of law involving acts by one competitor or group of competitors which harm another in the field, and which may give rise to criminal offenses and civil causes of action. The most common actions falling under the banner of unfair competition include: †¢ Matters pertaining to antitrust law, known in the European Union as competition law. Antitrust violations constituting unfair competition occur when one competitor attempts to force others out of the market (or prevent others from entering the market) through tactics such as predatory pricing or obtaining exclusive purchase rights to raw materials needed to make a competing product. Trademark infringement and passing off, which occur when the maker of a product uses a name, logo, or other identifying characteristics to deceive consumers into thinking that they are buying the product of a competitor. In the United States, this form of unfair competition is prohibited under the common law and by state statutes, and governed at the federal level by the Lanham Act. †¢ Misappropriation of trade secrets, which occurs when one competitor uses espionage, bribery, or outright theft to obtain economica lly advantageous information in the possession of another. In the United States, this type of activity is forbidden by the Uniform Trade Secrets Act and the Economic Espionage Act of 1996. †¢ Trade libel, the spreading of false information about the quality or characteristics of a competitors products, is prohibited at common law. †¢ Tortious interference, which occurs when one competitor convinces a party having a relationship with another competitor to breach a contract with, or duty to, the other competitor, is also prohibited at common law. Various unfair business practices such as fraud, misrepresentation, and unconscionable contracts may be considered unfair competition, if they give one competitor an advantage over others. In the European Union, each member state must regulate unfair business practices in accordance with the principles laid down in the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive, subject to transitional periods. Unfair Competition A branch of intellectual property law, unfair competition is a term applied to all dishonest or fraudulent rivalry in trade and commerce. This term is particularly applied to the practice of endeavoring to substitute one’s own goods or products in the market for those of another for the purpose of deceiving the public. This deception is commonly accomplished by imitating or counterfeiting the name title, size, color scheme, patterns, shape or distinctive peculiarities of the article, or by imitating the shape color, label, wrapper or general appearance of the package in such as way as to mislead the general public or deceive an unwary purchaser. Acts of unfair competition are generally characterized by deception, bad faith, fraud or oppression, or as against public policy because of their tendency to unduly hinder competition. Unfair competition laws have been established to protect consumers and businesses and help prevent illegal merchandizing. Source:  Black’s Law Dictionary Also Known As: Unfair Trade Practices Examples: Examples of unfair competition include: †¢ Trademark infringement   such as using the Coca-Cola ® trademark on a soda container manufactured by a competing beverage maker. False advertising   such as making false claims about a drugs abilities to promote weight loss. †¢ Unauthorized substitution of one brand of goods for another  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ such as substituting a low-cost handbag for a designer handbag. †¢ Misappropriation of trade secrets   such as stealing a competitor’s soft drink formula. †¢ False representation of products or services   such as exaggerat ing a software program’s spellcheck capabilities.