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Trends in corporate diversification

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  • Nilanjan Basu

Abstract

This paper studies the diversification and refocusing strategies of firms in the last three decades. The 1980s were characterized by a trend towards greater focus. This trend slackens in the 1990s to be replaced by a surge in the number of newly listed single-segment firms. From 2000 to 2007 there is very little change in the proportion of diversified firms. Overall, the proportion of conglomerates declines from 40% to 17% from 1980 to 1997. In addition, about one third of the diversifying firms reverse the diversification decision within four years. The analysis of the statements made by these firms suggests that there is significant heterogeneity in the motivations behind diversification. Copyright Swiss Society for Financial Market Research 2010

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  • Nilanjan Basu, 2010. "Trends in corporate diversification," Financial Markets and Portfolio Management, Springer;Swiss Society for Financial Market Research, vol. 24(1), pages 87-102, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:fmktpm:v:24:y:2010:i:1:p:87-102
    DOI: 10.1007/s11408-009-0123-0
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    Cited by:

    1. Nadine Gatzert & Hato Schmeiser, 2011. "On the risk situation of financial conglomerates: does diversification matter?," Financial Markets and Portfolio Management, Springer;Swiss Society for Financial Market Research, vol. 25(1), pages 3-26, March.
    2. Guerras-Martín, Luis Ángel & Ronda-Pupo, Guillermo Armando & Zúñiga-Vicente, José Ángel & Benito-Osorio, Diana, 2020. "Half a century of research on corporate diversification: A new comprehensive framework," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 114(C), pages 124-141.
    3. Stefan Erdorf & Thomas Hartmann-Wendels & Nicolas Heinrichs & Michael Matz, 2013. "Corporate diversification and firm value: a survey of recent literature," Financial Markets and Portfolio Management, Springer;Swiss Society for Financial Market Research, vol. 27(2), pages 187-215, June.
    4. Manuel Villasalero, 2018. "Multi-Business Firms, Knowledge Flows and Intra-Network Open Innovations," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 9(1), pages 162-179, March.
    5. Pascal Nguyen, 2016. "The role of the seller’s stock performance in the market reaction to divestiture announcements," Journal of Economics and Finance, Springer;Academy of Economics and Finance, vol. 40(1), pages 19-40, January.
    6. Matthias Pfister & Rico Wyss, 2010. "Delistings of secondary listings: price and volume effects," Financial Markets and Portfolio Management, Springer;Swiss Society for Financial Market Research, vol. 24(4), pages 395-418, December.
    7. Lord, Richard A. & Saito, Yoshie, 2017. "Refocusing through discontinued operations in response to acquisitions and diversification," Advances in accounting, Elsevier, vol. 37(C), pages 71-84.
    8. Nicola Cetorelli & Michael G. Jacobides & Samuel Stern, 2021. "Mapping a sector's scope transformation and the value of following the evolving core," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 42(12), pages 2294-2327, December.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Diversification; Focus; G34;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

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

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