US: Antitrust laws may hinder business collaboration new study says

A new study suggests that US antitrust laws could hamper the efforts of companies to collaborate on sustainable and socially-responsible business practices, even as consumers and businesses increasingly value them.

Both the public and many businesses are worried about natural resource limitations and the threat of climate change. Current anti-trust laws don’t fit with today’s global concerns, said Inara Scott, an attorney and assistant professor in the College of Business at Oregon State University.

“When it comes to the environment, we’re used to thinking of companies as part of the problem,” said Scott, who studies environmental law issues. “But today a lot of companies want to be part of the solution. They want to become more socially-responsible and drive sustainability for themselves and the consumer.

“The question for them becomes ‘How do I promote better environmental practices without losing market share?’ ”

Antitrust laws alone may not completely prevent businesses from collaborating, but the ways in which the laws have been interpreted and applied over time has had a chilling effect on businesses, said Scott, whose research on the issue was published in the spring issue of the American Business Law Journal.

Full content: Wiley Online Library

Want more news? Subscribe to CPI’s free daily newsletter for more headlines and updates on antitrust developments around the world.