Working Papers
When the Role Fits: How Firm Status Differentials Affect Corporate Takeovers
Authors: Chen Guoli
This study explores the implications of inter-firm status differentials for firm behaviors in corporate takeover transactions. The authors argue that the more the status differential between two firms is aligned with expectations of their roles embedded in the specific
economic activity, the easier it is for them to agree on the appropriate means to reach consensus on the given transaction.
Using the empirical context of the U.S. corporate takeover market, the authors document strong support for their theoretical predictions: the greater the status differential between an acquirer and a target, the more positively the market reacts to both the acquirer and the target upon the announcement of the acquisition deal, the more likely it is for the deal to be completed, and the acquirer is also more likely to achieve better post-acquisition performance.The authors discuss the theoretical implications of their study for corporate takeover research, status theory, and inter-firm transaction and cooperation.
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