This article discusses the outcome of a recent empirical project which sought, via field studies with three major UK companies, to ascertain the extent to which a corporate culture of compliance has been developed within UK industry in recent years. The research has provided useful information on the development of competition law compliance culture. For instance, it confirmed the hypothesis that the experiences and perspectives of the particular company affects compliance. The research also provides some limited evidence to support the three key theoretical frameworks which are likely to underpin the establishment and maintenance of effective compliance: deterrence based on rational choice; moral corporate citizenship based on questions of legitimacy and sound corporate governance; and managerial competence based on operational effectiveness and adoption of sound management systems; although it is evident that the deterrent impact of competition law sanctions is the underlying and primary compliance motivation for each of the companies which participated in the research, at least at this stage in the development of UK competition law and UK corporate compliance culture.
World Competition