COURSE TITLE: INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT PATENT AND COMPETITION LAW II
- Law
- 800 level
- 3 credit units
- 97 pages
- 10 units
This course provides an in-depth understanding of international copyright, patent, and competition law. It explores the legal concepts of competition law and the laws regulating competition in Nigeria and around the world. The course equips students with the knowledge to analyze market power, define relevant markets, and address abuses of dominant positions. It also covers essential facilities doctrine and its applicability in various sectors.
About this course
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Study hours
- 52 hours
- Maths
- Basic
- Content
- Theoretical, case study, problem solving
- Practical work
- No
- Assignments
- Tutor marked assessments
- Final examination
What you'll read
The real module and unit structure of PPL812, taken from the course material NOUN publishes.
One paragraph, so you can see how it reads
PPL812 · UNIT 1: DEFINITION AND SOURCES OF MARKET POWER
The term „market power‟ is used frequently in competition law. Some parties use the term interchangeably with „monopoly‟, „market control‟ and „market dominance‟. It is not a new term but has been defined by various authorities. Some are reproduced below.
What you should be able to do
- Analyze market power and its sources.
- Define relevant markets using substitutability tests.
- Identify and evaluate abuses of dominant positions.
- Apply the essential facilities doctrine.
- Understand competition regulation in Nigeria.
- Evaluate the impact of market definition on competition.
What it prepares you for
- Competition Analyst
- Regulatory Affairs Officer
- Legal Advisor
- Compliance Officer
- Market Strategist
- Telecommunications
- Energy
- Pharmaceuticals
- Consumer Goods
- Financial Services
Where it gets hard
The units students slow down on, and what makes each one heavy.
- Module 2: Market Definition
Unit 2: Defining the Relevant Market: Substitutability
The SSNIP test requires a deep understanding of market dynamics and consumer behavior, and the Cellophane Fallacy introduces a complex challenge in applying the test accurately.
- Module 3: Abuse of Dominant Position
Unit 2: Abusive Conduct which Exploits Customers
Requires understanding of complex economic concepts and legal precedents to differentiate between legitimate competition and abusive practices.
A suggested way through it
13 weeks, about 52 hours in total. Yours will differ.
- Week 1Module 1: Market Power
Unit 1: Definition and Sources of Market Power · 4 hours
Define market power and its relevance to competition regulation.. Identify and explain various sources of market power such as large market share, deep pockets, and product diversification..
- Week 2Module 1: Market Power
Unit 2: Measuring Market Power · 4 hours
Discuss different approaches to measuring market power, including concentration index and price-cost margin.. Apply Whish's tabular analysis of market share thresholds.. Identify factors to consider when measuring market power, such as barriers to entry and consumer choice..
- Week 3Module 2: Market Definition
Unit 1: Meaning and Importance of Market Definition · 4 hours
Explain the meaning of market definition and its importance in competition law.. Discuss the relevance of market definition in determining competitive constraints and dominant power.. Explain the effects of market definition on competition and regulatory activity..
- Week 4Module 2: Market Definition
Unit 2: Defining the Relevant Market: Substitutability · 4 hours
Define substitutability and differentiate between demand-side and supply-side substitutability.. Explain the application of the SSNIP Test in determining the relevant market.. Analyze the critiques of the SSNIP Test, including the Cellophane Fallacy..
- Week 5Module 2: Market Definition
Unit 3: Constituents of the Relevant Market (1) · 4 hours
Explain what is meant by the relevant market and list its constituents.. Explain the issues to consider in determining the relevant product market, including substitutability and potential competition.. Discuss the meaning and dimensions of substitutability..
- Week 6Module 2: Market Definition
Unit 4: Constituents of the Relevant Market (2) · 4 hours
Explain the difference between the relevant product market and the relevant geographic market.. Discuss the applicability of temporal dimension to seasonal products.. Explain the meaning and application of the functional market.. Identify the factors that may impact on market definition..
- Week 7Module 3: Abuse of Dominant Position
Unit 1: What is Dominance? · 4 hours
Define dominance and explain the factors that may be considered in determining whether an undertaking is dominant.. Explain how market share may or may not result in dominance.. List the measures usually employed by regulators to prevent dominant undertakings from abusing their dominance..
- Week 8Module 3: Abuse of Dominant Position
Unit 2: Abusive Conduct which Exploits Customers · 4 hours
State the categories of abusive behavior.. Explain the meaning of refusal to deal, tying, excessive pricing, predatory pricing, and price discrimination.. State the difference between excessive and predatory pricing..
- Week 9Module 3: Abuse of Dominant Position
Unit 3: Abusive Conduct which Seeks to Weaken or Exclude Competition · 4 hours
Identify some forms of abusive conduct which may weaken or exclude competition.. Explain the pros and cons of exclusionary conduct.. Define horizontal and vertical agreements.. Compare and contrast between vertical and horizontal agreements..
- Week 10Module 3: Abuse of Dominant Position
Unit 4: Essential Facilities Doctrine · 4 hours
Explain how the essential facilities doctrine operates.. Identify essential facilities in everyday business activities.. Explain the application of the doctrine in specific sectors..
- Week 11Module 1: Market Power
Module 1 Review · 4 hours
Review key concepts from Module 1.. Practice problems related to market power measurement.. Discuss real-world examples of market dominance..
- Week 12Module 2: Market Definition
Module 2 Review · 4 hours
Review key concepts from Module 2.. Analyze case studies related to market definition.. Discuss the implications of different market definitions..
- Week 13Module 3: Abuse of Dominant Position
Module 3 Review · 4 hours
Review key concepts from Module 3.. Discuss ethical considerations in competition law.. Prepare for final examination..
Preparing for the exam
- Create concept maps linking market power sources to competitive behaviors (Units 1-2).
- Practice applying the SSNIP test to different product markets (Module 2).
- Review case studies on abuse of dominance, focusing on key legal precedents (Module 3).
- Outline the elements required to prove an essential facilities claim (Unit 4).
- Prioritize understanding of FCCPCA, NCA, and EPSRA sections related to competition.
Questions students ask about this course
What is PPL812 about?
This course provides an in-depth understanding of international copyright, patent, and competition law. It explores the legal concepts of competition law and the laws regulating competition in Nigeria and around the world. The course equips students with the knowledge to analyze market power, define relevant markets, and address abuses of dominant positions. It also covers essential facilities doctrine and its applicability in various sectors.
How many units does PPL812 have?
PPL812, COURSE TITLE: INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT PATENT AND COMPETITION LAW II, has 10 units across 3 modules, over 97 pages of course material. You can read it one unit at a time.
How many credit units is PPL812?
PPL812 carries 3 credit units, at 800 level in Law.
Is PPL812 hard?
PPL812 is rated intermediate level, with basic mathematical content. It is mostly theoretical, case study and problem solving work.
How long does PPL812 take to study?
About 52 hours of study, spread across its 10 units.
How is PPL812 assessed?
PPL812 is assessed by assignments, tutor marked assessments and final examination.
What can I do with PPL812?
Competition Analyst, Regulatory Affairs Officer, Legal Advisor, Compliance Officer and Market Strategist.