Y
our company wants to
expand. And by acquiring
that slightly smaller
company, it might become
the fabled one-stop shop for
your industry.
But there's another way to look at that
happy scenario. The deal everyone wants
might create a mega-company that becomes
the big gorilla in your industry – a monopoly
that dampens competition and might harm
consumers.
Antitrust laws were created to prevent
such monopolies. These laws and the
resulting regulations, which have always
been fraught with complexity, have only
become more stringent over the last several
years. ("Landmines," anyone?) With
investigations on the rise, it's critical to know
as much as possible.
Find the Data
Companies can store data almost anywhere,
and with the continued increase in data
production, your ability to successfully
access and produce it can significantly
affect the outcome of your antitrust review.
For example, if you own a pizza joint in one
country but store your data on servers in
another, your data might be subject to the
other country's privacy laws.
Here are a couple of tips to ensure your
data is accessible and well-controlled:
• Choose a data service provider that
can prove your data is healthy, easy
Antitrust Data
Action Plan:
Part Three of a Three-Part Series
During Antitrust Investigations
B Y G R E G M O R E M A N
In this three-part series of quick
takes, we outline an action plan to
strengthen your organization for
today's antitrust environment. In
Part 1, we focused on the history
of antitrust law and the importance
of communication. In Part 2, we
explored the challenges of antitrust
reviews and four of the most
common errors to avoid if your
business is targeted. In this final
installment, we focus on your data
and provide steps to ensure your
organization's safety and long-term
health.
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