Business Cooperation
Forms of cooperation and combination between companies (working group / consortium, joint venture, merger, corporate group, holding, cartel, franchising, interest group) together with the surrounding market order (social market economy) and the competition authority that enforces the rules.
Cartels
Agreements between competing companies to restrict competition, with German cartel categories
Competition Authority
State supervision of competition law to prevent restrictions, abuse of power and monopolies
Corporate Group and Holding
Combinations of legally independent companies under unified leadership, including the holding structure
Franchising
Business model where a franchisee uses a franchisor's proven business concept
Interest Group
Voluntary association of independent partners to pursue shared interests, not a legal entity in itself
Joint Venture
Cooperation of independent companies, often through a jointly founded firm
Merger and Trust
Full combination of companies into one entity, plus the resulting trust
Social Market Economy
Economic order combining free markets with state intervention for social balance
Types of Mergers
Overview of horizontal, vertical, and diagonal mergers and their characteristics
Working Group and Consortium
Temporary cooperation between independent companies for a shared project