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Employee–management trust and M&A activity

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  • Bargeron, Leonce
  • Lehn, Kenneth
  • Smith, Jared

Abstract

We examine the relation between the trust that employees have in management and the M&A activity of firms. We measure this trust by using rankings compiled by the Great Place to Work Institute (GPWI) from 1998 to 2011. Although the volume of M&A activity is not significantly different for firms with strong cultures of trust (“SCT firms”) versus other firms, the relative size of acquisitions announced by SCT firms is significantly smaller than the size of acquisitions announced by other firms. Furthermore, when SCT firms announce relatively large acquisitions, bidder returns and the percent change in the combined values of bidders and targets are lower than the corresponding returns for other firms. Finally, when SCT firms make large acquisitions, they are significantly more likely to suffer a loss in their GPWI ranking as compared with other SCT firms. Overall, the results are consistent with the conclusion that the M&A policies of firms are influenced by a culture of trust between employees and management.

Suggested Citation

  • Bargeron, Leonce & Lehn, Kenneth & Smith, Jared, 2015. "Employee–management trust and M&A activity," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 35(C), pages 389-406.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:corfin:v:35:y:2015:i:c:p:389-406
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jcorpfin.2015.07.012
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Doukas, John A. & Zhang, Rongyao, 2021. "Managerial ability, corporate social culture, and M&As," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    2. Becker, Mary & Cardazzi, Alexander & McGurk, Zachary, 2022. "Employee satisfaction and stock returns during the COVID-19 Pandemic," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 33(C).
    3. Wang, Zhixiao & Kong, Dongmin & Liu, Shasha, 2024. "Corporate social responsibility and firm-level systematic risk: The moderating effect of economic policy uncertainty," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 94(C).
    4. Wang, Zhenshan & Xu, Huilin, 2024. "Trust and inter-regional M&As: Evidence from China," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 796-818.
    5. Alexandridis, George & Hoepner, Andreas G.F. & Huang, Zhenyi & Oikonomou, Ioannis, 2022. "Corporate social responsibility culture and international M&As," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 54(1).
    6. Ongsakul, Viput & Chatjuthamard, Pattanaporn & Jiraporn, Pornsit & Chaivisuttangkun, Sirithida, 2021. "Corporate integrity and hostile takeover threats: Evidence from machine learning and “CEO luck”," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 32(C).
    7. Ralf Bebenroth & Kashif Ahmed, 2021. "Japanese firms' overpayments for cross‐border acquisitions," International Finance, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 24(2), pages 257-273, August.
    8. Zhu, Bing & Xia, Xiaoxue & Zheng, Xiaojia, 2021. "One way out of the share pledging quagmire: Evidence from mergers and acquisitions," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Culture; Trust; Mergers; Acquisitions;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G34 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Mergers; Acquisitions; Restructuring; Corporate Governance

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