Final answer:
The outright purchase of an entire company to gain access to its technology is known as an acquisition of technology. This strategy allows for rapid tech integration and market expansion, and it must navigate antitrust laws that prevent anti-competitive practices. The correct option here is acquisition of a technology.
Step-by-step explanation:
The outright purchase of an entire company to gain access to its technology is called an acquisition of technology. This strategy allows a company to quickly enhance its technological capabilities, market share, or competitive position by integrating the acquired company's technology into its own operations. The process can be seen as an alternative to internal development, where a company might invest time and resources to develop its technology in-house, which can be a slower and sometimes riskier approach.
An acquisition can be a strategic move to expand a business's capabilities or enter new markets. It has significant implications for both the acquiring and the acquired firms, as well as for the industry as a whole. This business practice can lead to changes in market dynamics and can sometimes fall under the scrutiny of antitrust laws, which are regulations that give governments the power to block certain mergers or acquisitions that could potentially harm competition within an industry.
Considering our example, the correct option here is acquisition of a technology as it refers to one firm purchasing another primarily to gain access to its technology.