To understand the import and impact of current regulatory policies, engagement with the founding ones is crucial. In this course, you will gain this strategic perspective, starting with the late 19th century when oil and railroad industries were booming and becoming more powerful as they grew, raising the concern of some lawmakers. As a result, the Sherman Act was drafted and passed to ensure that competition continued to thrive and that no one individual or firm controlled too much of an industry. Later, legislators also added the Clayton Act to guard against mergers that thwart competition.

Through this course, you will discover how antitrust law was born withjust three simple phrases and begin to understand how it has evolved from those beginnings, affecting the marketplace every day in the 21st century. One major way that firms compete is on price, and you will explore how courts have reacted as some firms got together and agreed on prices instead of competing. You will also examine court decisions on other agreements among competitors in business as well as professional organizations, sports leagues, and institutions of higher education. By the end of this course, you will have gained the necessary perspective on these major events to make informed, strategic decisions for your firm in today's marketplace.