The following issues were dealt with in this chapter:

1. The various ways in which a self-employed agent can acquire authority to bind his principal.

2. The duties owed by an agent to his principal and vice versa.

3. How the establishment of a subsidiary company rather than a branch office can benefit an exporter.

4. Legal distinction between a self-employed agent and a distributor, and the implications this has for the exporter.

5. The nature of sole and exclusive distribution rights.

6. The joint venture and the various forms it can take. 7 How a franchise agreement can provide benefits for both franchisor and franchisee.

7. Product liability and the risks it presents for companies involved in the design, production and distribution of goods.

8. How intellectual property rights can be acquired and protected.

9. The impact of competition law on business activity.