Yet the real disadvantage of complexity in the international system is that it often makes it impossible for decision-makers to comprehend the challenges they face and to deal with them effectively.

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On the department's behalf, he argued that Gates and his colleagues at Microsoft took advantage of their company's monopoly position in operating system software to disadvantage competitors, unfairly tying its Internet Explorer browser to Windows.

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Americans are at a disadvantage when it comes to cell phones overseas, because most of the world uses a GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) standard, Schukai said.

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