DOI: https://doi.org/10.36719/2789-6919/51/40-43
Fidan Safarova
Baku Business University
PhD in Economics
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6984-3634
ehmedovafidan@mail/ru
The Role of Competitiveness and Antitrust Policy in Economic Security
Abstract
Existing contradictions in Azerbaijan’s antimonopoly legislation create difficulties for the development of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). According to current rules, a company holding 35% of the market is considered dominant, yet the concept of “market power” is broader and requires a more precise evaluation of a firm’s actual ability to influence competition. A key issue is that the same government body is simultaneously able to engage in activities that may restrict competition and also responsible for preventing monopolistic practices, which weakens regulatory objectivity. Therefore, it is proposed to expand the authority of the State Service for Antimonopoly Policy and Consumer Protection to independently oversee and prevent monopolistic behavior. Another significant challenge for MSMEs is the long payment period imposed by large retail chains, which often pay suppliers within 30–60 days despite purchasing goods weekly. This creates severe cash-flow shortages. Setting a preferential 1% fee for B2B factoring services would improve liquidity for small producers and support the expansion of cashless transactions.
Keywords: competitiveness, economic security, pricing strategy, state regulation, antitrust policy, food industry, market mechanism, competitive environment, factoring service, micro and small enterprises