Business strategy and EC competition law: two systems separated by a common language

The article considers how executives may, in seeking to pursue a business strategy which they consider commercially advantageous, face competition law risks. It reviews business strategy literature and EC competition law and concludes that, while there are similarities in the way both analyse markets and market power, there are still significant differences which may provide unwelcome surprises for those who plan commercial strategy without expert competition law advice and for those who seek to advise on competition law without understanding the basis on which investment decisions may have been taken.