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Economic and Systemic Explanations of Ownership Concentration among Europe's Largest Companies

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  • Torben Pedersen
  • Steen Thomsen

Abstract

The paper examines causes and effects of ownership concentration among the largest companies in 12 European countries. As a reference point the paper takes a seminal empirical study on US data and examines to what extent the model is applicable in European countries. The findings indicate that both general economic effects and system effects are significant. Ownership concentration is found to decrease with firm size and to increase with earnings volatility. But in support of the system theories advocated nationality is also found to have a significant effect which is partly attributable to institutional differences between nations such as stock market size and the frequency of large banks. Finally ownership concentration is found to have an insignificant effect on accounting profitability (return on equity)

Suggested Citation

  • Torben Pedersen & Steen Thomsen, 1999. "Economic and Systemic Explanations of Ownership Concentration among Europe's Largest Companies," International Journal of the Economics of Business, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 6(3), pages 367-381.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:ijecbs:v:6:y:1999:i:3:p:367-381
    DOI: 10.1080/13571519984133
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    Cited by:

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    2. Pedersen, Torben & Thomsen, Steen & Kvist, Hans Kurt, 2001. "The Direction of Causality Between Blockholder Ownership and Firm Value: US and EU Evidence," Working Papers 16-2001, Copenhagen Business School, Department of International Economics and Management.
    3. Elosge, Corinna & Oesterle, Michael-Joerg & Stein, Christina M. & Hattula, Stefan, 2018. "CEO succession and firms’ internationalization processes: Insights from German companies," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 27(2), pages 367-379.
    4. Fan, Di & Lo, Chris K.Y. & Yeung, Andy C.L. & Cheng, T.C.E., 2018. "The impact of corporate label change on long-term labor productivity," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 96-108.
    5. Thomsen, Steen & Pedersen, Torben & Kvist, Hans Kurt, 2006. "Blockholder ownership: Effects on firm value in market and control based governance systems," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 12(2), pages 246-269, January.
    6. Lai, Shaojie & Liang, Hongyan & Liu, Zilong & Pu, Xiaoling & Zhang, Jianing, 2022. "Ownership concentration among entrepreneurial firms: The growth-control trade-off," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 122-140.
    7. Herstad , Sverre J. & Sandven , Tore, 2015. "Innovation and corporate employment growth revisited," Papers in Innovation Studies 2015/3, Lund University, CIRCLE - Centre for Innovation Research.
    8. Cabeza-García, Laura & Gómez-Ansón, Silvia, 2011. "Post-privatisation ownership concentration: Determinants and influence on firm efficiency," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 39(3), pages 412-430, September.
    9. Sverre Herstad, 2011. "Paradigms, Regimes and the Shifting Notions of Institutional Best Practice," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 2(2), pages 173-191, June.
    10. Nahila Nazir & Amarjeet Kaur Malhotra, 2016. "The Effect of Ownership Structure on Firm Profitability in India: A Panel Data Approach," International Journal of Economics and Finance, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 8(6), pages 237-237, June.
    11. Slangen, Arjen & Hennart, Jean-François, 2007. "Greenfield or acquisition entry: A review of the empirical foreign establishment mode literature," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 13(4), pages 403-429, December.
    12. Pedersen, Torben & Thomsen, Steen, 2001. "The Causal Relationship between Insider Ownership, Owner Identity and Market Valuation among the Largest European Companies," Working Papers 15-2001, Copenhagen Business School, Department of International Economics and Management.
    13. Liu, Yi & Li, Yuan & Xue, Jiaqi, 2011. "Ownership, strategic orientation and internationalization in emerging markets," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 46(3), pages 381-393, July.
    14. Weiß, Christian, 2010. "The Ownership Concentration of Firms: Three Essays on the Determinants and Effects," EconStor Theses, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, number 30247, September.

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