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The labor market effect of foreign acquisitions: Evidence from Chinese manufacturing firms

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  • Liu, Qing
  • Lu, Ruosi
  • Zhang, Chao

Abstract

The potential impacts of foreign acquisitions have long been debatable in both academic and policy circles in China, which have more or less shaped China's regulation policy regarding foreign acquisitions. This paper examines the causal effect of foreign acquisitions on the labor market in China with self-constructed firm level panel data. We combine the propensity score matching and the difference-in-differences techniques in our estimation to deal with the potential selection biases in acquisitions. Our results show that the impacts of foreign acquisitions in China are different from but also comparable to those in developed countries found in the literature. Specifically, foreign acquisitions have significant positive effects on the levels of wage and employment of target firms, but mildly negative impact on employment growth and insignificant impact on wage growth. The impacts show heterogeneities. We also check the potential channels of the impacts.

Suggested Citation

  • Liu, Qing & Lu, Ruosi & Zhang, Chao, 2015. "The labor market effect of foreign acquisitions: Evidence from Chinese manufacturing firms," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 32(C), pages 110-120.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:chieco:v:32:y:2015:i:c:p:110-120
    DOI: 10.1016/j.chieco.2014.12.005
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    Cited by:

    1. Zhou, Jing & Latorre, María C., 2015. "FDI in China and global production networks: Assessing the role of and impact on big world players (East Asia, Japan, EU28 and U.S.)," MPRA Paper 62297, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    2. Reddy, Kotapati Srinivasa, 2015. "Extant Reviews on Entry-mode/Internationalization, Mergers & Acquisitions, and Diversification: Understanding Theories and Establishing Interdisciplinary Research," MPRA Paper 63744, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 2015.
    3. Chen, Chien-Hsun, 2023. "The Emergence of China’s Mergers and Acquisitions Market," MPRA Paper 116615, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    4. Liu, Qing & Lu, Ruosi, 2016. "On-the-job training and productivity: Firm-level evidence from a large developing country," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 254-264.
    5. Zhou, Jing & Latorre, María C., 2021. "FDI in China and global production networks: Assessing the role of and impact on big world players," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 43(6), pages 1225-1240.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Foreign acquisitions; Labor market; Matching; Difference-in-differences;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F21 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - International Investment; Long-Term Capital Movements
    • F23 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - Multinational Firms; International Business
    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials

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