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From Wall Street to Work Floor: How Private Equity Buyouts Affect Workers

Author

Listed:
  • Olsson, Martin

    (Research Institute of Industrial Economics (IFN))

  • Tåg, Joacim

    (Research Institute of Industrial Economics (IFN))

Abstract

Private equity buyouts have sparked debates among labor unions and worker representatives on how they affect workers. This chapter provides an overview of academic evidence on how private equity buyouts affect workers. We review the theoretical reasons why employees could be affected and then survey the empirical evidence. We point out that significant strides have been made in understanding how private equity buyouts influence workers, with a plethora of studies available for policymakers and practitioners. These studies have found that the impact on workers is not uniform; it varies based on the type of buyout, the nature of workers' roles in the firm before the buyout, and the country's institutional environment. We also highlight a few understudied areas that warrant more attention.

Suggested Citation

  • Olsson, Martin & Tåg, Joacim, 2023. "From Wall Street to Work Floor: How Private Equity Buyouts Affect Workers," Working Paper Series 1475, Research Institute of Industrial Economics.
  • Handle: RePEc:hhs:iuiwop:1475
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Private Equity Buyouts; Restructuring; Wages; Employment Health Job Satifaction;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G34 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Mergers; Acquisitions; Restructuring; Corporate Governance
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials
    • L25 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Firm Performance
    • M51 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Personnel Economics - - - Firm Employment Decisions; Promotions

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