On 1 June 2010, a new Block Exemption Regulation (BER) and new Guidelines that affect the practical use of selective distribution systems enter into force. The BER exempts vertical agreements, such as selective distribution agreements, from the prohibition of Article 101 (1) TFEU. It is significant for individual market players to obtain knowledge of what impact the new BER and the new Guidelines have for the practical use of selective distribution systems. The Commission has amended the new BER and the new Guidelines in the light of the development the last decade. Two main changes are noticed that affect the content of the new legislative documents. Firstly, it is established that many distributors have obtained larger market shares. Secondly, it is stated that Internet sales have increased largely. The basic principles of the new versions of the BER and the Guidelines are identical with the former versions but the present changes are although noticeable for companies and their selective distribution systems. The new BER contains a new market share rule that is more restrictive than the corresponding rule in the former BER. However, the new market share rule is not an expression of a less tolerant approach towards selective distribution systems; rather an amendment necessary due to the development of distributors’ market shares. The growth of distribution in the Internet the last ten years is reflected in the new Guidelines. The Commission’s approach towards the Internet as a distribution method seems in general to be positive. It is noticeable that the Commission wants that parties of selective distribution agreements shall be able to benefit from all the positive effects of online sales at the same time as the Commission tries to preserve the positive effects of selective distribution. This thesis describes and examines the practical use of selective distribution systems. Different reasons for companies to use selective distribution systems and effects of the new BER and Guidelines are in particular examined.

A partly new train of thought has emerged during the last few years, which claims that national conditions are of importance for company strength in relation to international competitors. National competition has stood out as one of the most important explanatory factors, and is seen as the catalyst or motor in dynamic industrial environments. The demands and pressures that evolve from competition between geographically proximate companies stimulate the innovativeness within the industry. Thus, the question about why and how dynamics of competition develop and function has not been answered in existing research. The main purpose of this study is therefore to analyse the process of competition in industries with a high degree of geographical proximity between competitors, in order to improve the understanding of the character and dynamics of competition. A general review of literature dealing with competition at industry, strategic group, and organisation level was compiled. The review gave two dimensions by which four types of competition were possible to distinguish, degree of symmetry between competitores and degree of activity in competition. To obtain an understanding for the character and dynamics of competition, it is not enough to identify different types of competition. The process through which competition is formed over time also needs to be studied. Other theoretical approaches are therefore necessary. First, the companies' competitive actions should be understood from their experience and expectations of competition. Second, the specific competitive moves that are taken by individual companies are of importance for the competition. Third, competition has to be described as a process of interaction over time. A case-study approach has been used for the gathering of data. Case-studies have been conducted within three industries that differ from each other with regard to competition. Competition in the Frontloader industry has been driven by two companies equal in both size and relative strength. The competitors in the Lining industry are,on the other hand, dissimilar, both in respect to relative strength and to the orientation of their business. The third industry, that of Hoisters, is characterised by the domination by one company. Two major results have been reached in this study. First the concept climate of competition has been coined to analyse and describe the character of the four types of competition. The following four climates of competition emerge from the analysis; climate of rivalling competion, of co-existing competition, of evolutionary competition and climate of revolutionary competition. The climates of competition differ with regard to the functional and psychological distance between competitors, the possibility to survey competition, and the actors' acceptance of current rules-of-play and role distribution. The second result of the study is a greater understanding for the dynamics within competition. By analysing the character of and change in competition over time two partly different, but interwined forces, have been detected. Competition gives rise on the one hand to different kinds of learning processes, and on the other forces competitors to innovative and creative measures. / digitalisering@umu

Galimybe įsidarbinti Europos Sąjungos institucijose domisi daugelis valstybių narių piliečių. Toks darbas suteikia ypatingą patirtį unikalioje organizacinėje struktūroje, garantuoja ypač įvairias veiklos galimybes, suteikia visas įmanomas socialines garantijas ir motyvuojantį atlyginimą. Pagrindinis būdas tapti Europos Sąjungos pareigūnu yra laimėti atvirą konkursą, kurį paskelbia visų institucijų konkursus organizuojantis Europos Personalo atrankos biuras – EPSO. Nuo 2004 m. gegužės 1 d. tokiuose konkursuose gali dalyvauti ir Lietuvos piliečiai. Magistro baigiamajame darbe "Konkursai įsidarbinti Europos Sąjungos institucijose ir Lietuvos piliečių galimybės juose" siekta išnagrinėti, kodėl ES institucijose dirba palyginti mažas lietuvių skaičius ir išsiaiškinti, kiek tai yra susiję su atsakingų Lietuvos institucijų veikla. Taip pat norėta išanalizuoti konkursų organizavimo ir reglamentavimo raidą Europos Sąjungoje, išnagrinėti darbo skelbimo struktūrą, reikalavimus kandidatams ir konkurso etapus bei apibūdinti darbą Europos Sąjungos institucijose, atkreipiant dėmesį į ES pareigūno tarnybos ypatumus. Apibendrinant išnagrinėjus konkursų įsidarbinti Europos Sąjungos institucijose organizavimą ir atlikus anketinę ES institucijose jau dirbančių Lietuvos piliečių apklausą siekta parodyti jų galimybes sėkmingai dalyvauti konkursuose bei pateikti rekomendacijas, kokių papildomų priemonių šioje srityje turėtų imtis Lietuvos institucijos. Šiame darbe vartojamos tokios pagrindinės... [to full text] / Possibility to work in EU institutions is an interest of many citizens of the Member states. Such a job gives a special experience in an unique organizational structure, guarantees extremely wide area of activities, provides with all possible social benefits and motivating salary. The main way how to become a EU official is to win an open competition which is organized by EPSO – European Personnel Selection Office – which is responsible for the competitions of all institutions. The citizens of Lithuania has also got this opportunity since 1st of May in 2004. The aim with the master work „Competitions in order to get a job in the institutions of the European Union assessing Lithuanians‘ potential“ was to scrutinize why a considerably small number of Lithuanians is working in EU institutions and to find out how it is combined with the activities of the responsible Lithuanian institutions. The aim was also to provide an overview of the development of competitions’ organization and reglamentation in the EU, to evaluate the structure of the Notice of competition, requirements for the candidates, the stages of competitions and to characterize the work in the EU paying attention to the work specifics of the EU official. Having the knowledge how the competitions are organized and having the results of the questionnaire of the Lithuanians who already work for EU institutions it was possible to evaluate their opportunities to participate successfully in the competitions and to propose... [to full text]

The relationship between patent and competition is rather complex. Whereas both sets of rules contribute to the same objective, i.e. consumer welfare and economic growth, their means collide. Patent laws create and protect monopolies while competition laws seek to limit their influence or even oppose their occurrence. However, since technological development is a financially risky process, it needs to be secured through a strong rewarding monopoly. Neo-classical theory has been so far the cornerstone of competition law. It is driven by a view of the market where price equilibrium and market atomicity constitute the main elements of allocative efficiency. But it promotes a rather static view of the market which neglects the fundamental aspects of technology-driven markets in the modern economy. Therefore we need to curb the role of the mainstream economic postulates by taking into account adequate theories in order to reflect modern innovation and technological diffusion onto the markets.

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