Rockefeller did this in the 19th century. He would enter a new field and go around and offer a good payout to competitors. If they took it and he liked their co

Rockefeller did this in the 19th century. He would enter a new field and go around and offer a good payout to competitors. If they took it and he liked their company he would put them on his board. If they didn't take it, he would push them out of business. Eventually he had a monopoly. Seems like smart business to me, just as long as you offer competitive compensation first and you don't do it all the time.