How to rectify unfair trade practices and to establish appropriate supply chains and better business culture under the global market economy

Abstract

Banning unfair trade practices stands alongside private monopolization and the unjust restraint of trade as a key theme in competition policy. However, it poses much greater difficulties to deal with the matter than either private monopolization or unjust restraint of trade. In recent years, ongoing economic globalization, advances in information communication technology and other factors have wrought major changes in the traditional supply chain: for example, in subcontracting structure. Given the role of small and medium enterprises in underpinning economic growth, lifting the basic quality and performance level of these firms and improving business conditions for them have emerged as key policy themes. Newefforts are needed to establish fair trade as a business practice and to create a new business culture in corporation with competition policy, small and medium enterprise policy and business ethics, such as Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) practices. © 2009 Blackwell Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.