Dean of Programs, David Bach, IE Business School - "What's Google's Best Strategy for Fighting Microsoft in the EU?"

HBR Blogs,The Conversation, April 5, 2011 (David Bach faculty page)

Rather than delving into many ironies of Microsoft accusing Google of similar anti-competitive practices to the ones that resulted in billions of dollars in fines against the Redmond company over the past decade, let's consider what Microsoft's move means and how Google might respond.

By filing a complaint with the European Commission last Thursday, Microsoft has taken its battle with Google into the 'nonmarket' domain — the social, political, and regulatory space where the rules governing market competition are set and enforced. Better than any other technology company, Microsoft knows — painfully well — that the nonmarket domain forms part of the competitive playing field. It also knows that firms can shape this part of the business environment through deliberate strategies...