Final answer:
An honest competitive assessment is often complicated by deceptive practices, the evolving nature of laws, and accusations of anticompetitive restrictive practices in a competitive market.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to the reading material provided, an honest competitive assessment can be made difficult by deceptive practices. When laws are evolving and changing, firms are faced with uncertainties as legal standards are open to interpretation. This can lead to accusations of anticompetitive restrictive practices by competitors who are not succeeding in the market. Firms may attempt to leverage government regulation to achieve what they have not managed to attain through market competition. Therefore the fluid nature of laws and the sometimes opaque intentions of competitors make it challenging to ensure fair competition.