New attitudes by big and small business are crucial to avoid and resolve their disputes for best possible business practice, ACCC Chairman, Professor Allan Fels, said today.
He was commenting on the launch by Workplace Relations and Small Business Minister, Mr Peter Reith, of the Benchmarks for Dispute Avoidance and Resolution for Small/Large Business Disputes. The launch took place in Melbourne today before small and big business leaders.
The ACCC receives around 2,500 complaints each year from small businesses which believe they have suffered at the hands of large business, Professor Fels said.
In many cases these complaints do not involve breaches of the Trade Practices Act but should be amenable to resolution under the guidelines launched today.
Small business often feels intimidated when facing difficulties with organisations much larger than themselves. Conversely, big business is not always the 'bad guy', yet disputes arise because of an adversarial atmosphere.
What these benchmarks can lead to, if properly implemented, is a cultural change in business.
These benchmarks set out proactive dispute avoidance methods, designed to recognise the mutual interests of both parties in a commercial relationship - without an emphasis on power or 'rights'.
The guidelines provide a dispute resolution system that is cheap, timely and simple. This should help enhance, not encumber, business relationships.
The guidelines have been developed by a Round Table brought together by the ACCC made up of small, medium and large business enterprises. Comment and advice has been received by dispute resolution professionals.
For further information on this media release Professor Allan Fels, Chairman, (03) 9290 1812 or pager (016) 373 536 Ms Lin Enright, Director, Public Relations, (02) 6264 2808
He was commenting on the launch by Workplace Relations and Small Business Minister, Mr Peter Reith, of the Benchmarks for Dispute Avoidance and Resolution for Small/Large Business Disputes. The launch took place in Melbourne today before small and big business leaders.
The ACCC receives around 2,500 complaints each year from small businesses which believe they have suffered at the hands of large business, Professor Fels said.
In many cases these complaints do not involve breaches of the Trade Practices Act but should be amenable to resolution under the guidelines launched today.
Small business often feels intimidated when facing difficulties with organisations much larger than themselves. Conversely, big business is not always the 'bad guy', yet disputes arise because of an adversarial atmosphere.
What these benchmarks can lead to, if properly implemented, is a cultural change in business.
These benchmarks set out proactive dispute avoidance methods, designed to recognise the mutual interests of both parties in a commercial relationship - without an emphasis on power or 'rights'.
The guidelines provide a dispute resolution system that is cheap, timely and simple. This should help enhance, not encumber, business relationships.
The guidelines have been developed by a Round Table brought together by the ACCC made up of small, medium and large business enterprises. Comment and advice has been received by dispute resolution professionals.
For further information on this media release Professor Allan Fels, Chairman, (03) 9290 1812 or pager (016) 373 536 Ms Lin Enright, Director, Public Relations, (02) 6264 2808