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M&A and R&D: Asymmetric Effects on acquirers and targets?

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  • Szücs, Florian

Abstract

We evaluate the impact of M&A activity on the growth of R&D spending and R&D intensity of 265 acquiring firms and 133 merger targets between 1990 and 2009. We use different matching techniques to construct separate control groups for acquirers and targets and use appropriate difference-in-difference estimation methods to single out the causal effect of mergers on R&D growth and intensity. We find that target firms substantially decrease their R&D efforts after a merger, while the R&D intensity of acquirers drops due to a sharp increase in sales.

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  • Szücs, Florian, 2014. "M&A and R&D: Asymmetric Effects on acquirers and targets?," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 43(7), pages 1264-1273.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:respol:v:43:y:2014:i:7:p:1264-1273
    DOI: 10.1016/j.respol.2014.03.007
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    Cited by:

    1. Gugler, Klaus & Szücs, Florian, 2016. "Merger externalities in oligopolistic markets," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 230-254.
    2. Lefouili, Yassine & Madio, Leonardo, 2023. "Market Structure and Investments : A Progress Report," TSE Working Papers 23-1491, Toulouse School of Economics (TSE), revised Sep 2024.
    3. Burger, Anže & Hogan, Teresa & Kotnik, Patricia & Rao, Sandeep & Sakinç, Mustafa Erdem, 2023. "Does acquisition lead to the growth of high-tech scale-ups? Evidence from Europe," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    4. Joel Stiebale & Florian Szücs, 2022. "Mergers and market power: evidence from rivals' responses in European markets," RAND Journal of Economics, RAND Corporation, vol. 53(4), pages 678-702, December.
    5. Malek, Jan & Newham, Melissa & Seldeslachts, Jo & Veugelers, Reinhilde, 2024. "Acquiring R&D projects: who, when, and what? Evidence from antidiabetic drug development," CEPR Discussion Papers 18816, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    6. Bianconi, Marcelo & Tan, Chih Ming, 2019. "Evaluating the instantaneous and medium-run impact of mergers and acquisitions on firm values," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 71-87.
    7. Qiao, Lu & Dong, Weijia & Lv, Xin, 2023. "The heterogeneous impacts of M&As on renewable energy firms’ innovation: Comparative analysis of China, the US and EU," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 87(C), pages 306-323.
    8. García-Vega, María & Hofmann, Patricia & Kneller, Richard, 2019. "Multinationals and the globalization of R&D," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 583-614.
    9. Haucap, Justus & Rasch, Alexander & Stiebale, Joel, 2019. "How mergers affect innovation: Theory and evidence," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 283-325.
    10. Malek, Jan & Newham, Melissa & Seldeslachts, Jo & Veugelers, Reinhilde, 2024. "Acquiring R&D projects: who, when, and what? Evidence from antidiabetic drug development," CEPR Discussion Papers 18816, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    11. Andersson, Martin & Xiao, Jing, 2016. "Acquisitions of start-ups by incumbent businesses," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(1), pages 272-290.
    12. M. Grajek & K. Gugler & T. Kretschmer & I. Mişcişin, 2019. "Static or Dynamic Efficiency: Horizontal Merger Effects in the Wireless Telecommunications Industry," Review of Industrial Organization, Springer;The Industrial Organization Society, vol. 55(3), pages 375-402, November.
    13. Haucap, Justus & Stiebale, Joel, 2023. "Non-price effects of mergers and acquisitions," DICE Discussion Papers 402, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf Institute for Competition Economics (DICE).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Mergers; R&D growth; R&D intensity; Propensity-score matching; Difference in difference estimation;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D22 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Firm Behavior: Empirical Analysis
    • G34 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Mergers; Acquisitions; Restructuring; Corporate Governance
    • O3 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights

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