International acquisitions on efficiency and productivity of the Serbian cement industry

PurposeThis paper explores the impact of international acquisitions on the efficiency and productivity of the cement industry in an emerging economy.Design/methodology/approachThe data envelopment analysis (DEA) and Malmquist index (MI) are used to calculate the partial efficiency and productivity of individual inputs (materials, labour and fixed assets), as well as the total factor efficiency and productivity during the period 2000–2018. DEA and MI are combined with bootstrapping to perform succinct statistical inferences for determining the accuracy of results. In this paper we apply the input-oriented CCR DEA Window model. With respect to the level of analysis, data was collected from individual companies and then aggregated data at the industry level.FindingsThe research results show that international acquisitions positively affect efficiency of the cement industry in the long term. Efficiency of capital is lower in the short period after acquisitions. Additionally, international acquisitions positively affect partial productivity, as well as total factor productivity of the cement industry.Practical implicationsThe results of the study may be significant for managers and policy makers to design appropriate strategies for the improvement of the cement industry performance over time.Originality/valueResearch in emerging economies related to subject matter is limited, and this is one of the earliest research studies which explore change in efficiency and productivity at the level of Serbian cement industry.

Effects of R&D Investments and Market Signals on International Acquisitions: Evidence from IPO Firms

We investigate how intangible assets in the form of R&D influence firms’ hazards of engaging in international acquisitions. On the one hand, previous research has noted that the tacit and redeployable nature of R&D investments may prompt firms to expand their operations overseas and create value from international acquisitions. On the other hand, it is difficult for other firms to evaluate the quality and prospects of an acquirer’s intangible resources, thereby hampering its ability to finance and execute international M&A deals. In the context of international acquisitions undertaken by firms just completing their initial public offerings (IPOs), we argue and find that the IPO firm’s engagement in post-IPO international acquisition activity is generally negatively related to its R&D intensity. This effect contrasts previous arguments on the internalization advantages possessed by R&D-intensive firms. We also argue that firms able to convey their resources and prospects through such signals as previous international alliances and foreign sales can mitigate information problems presented by their intangibles, and thus carry out and benefit from cross-border acquisitions. We therefore identify an unexamined tradeoff that R&D investments present in the international M&A context and discuss how international signals can facilitate cross-border transactions subject to various market frictions.

ASSESSMENT OF THE SYNERGISTIC EFFECT IN INTERNATIONAL ACQUISITIONS

This article examines the issue of the development of multinational companies by the method of mergers and acquisitions. PJSC Lukoil, one of the largest companies in the petrochemical industry, was selected for the practical implementation of financial diagnostics. The purpose of the work was to demonstrate the achievement of a synergistic effect from mergers and acquisitions, as well as to calculate the synergistic effect on the example of the takeover of PJSC Lukoil's stake in the Marine XII project

WHICH IS MORE IMPORTANT TO THE SUCCESS OF AN ACQUISITION; ACQUIRER OR TARGET RESOURCES?

The resources of both acquirers and targets have been studied in terms of the drivers and success of acquisitions. Despite the large number of studies that have been conducted, we still do not know whose resources are more critical to the success of acquisitions. This study aims to examine the role of acquirer and target resources in the success of acquisitions. All acquisitions that took place in Turkey between 1990 and 2017 were analyzed to investigate the research question. The findings of a regression analysis of 425 acquisitions in this emerging market context reveal that acquirer resources are more critical than target resources in acquisition performance. The effects of resources on domestic and international acquisitions are also compared, and it is found that acquirer resources are more critical in domestic acquisitions, whereas target resources are more important in international acquisitions. The implications of these findings are discussed in terms of information asymmetry and post-acquisition integration issues, and directions for future research are suggested.

Market reaction to the international acquisitions by Chinese firms

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of cross-border mergers and acquisitions (M&As) by firms in the emerging marketing on stock market cumulative abnormal returns (CARs). This research focuses on the acquiring firms in emerging markets and broadens the existing scope which highlights the M&As by firms in developed countries. Design/methodology/approach Regarding the controversial argument on the effect of cross-border M&As, the authors introduce a resource-based theory to explain the motivation of M&As by Chinese firms, conduct an event study analysis of 472 international acquisitions by Chinese firms from 2010 to 2015 and indicate cross-border M&As as a positive signal in the stock market. Findings The results reveal that cross-border M&As result in significantly positive CARs in a short term for the acquiring firms listed in mainland markets but not for that in the Hong Kong market. Furthermore, consistent with signaling theory and the investors’ heuristic thinking in decision-making, investors may adopt the technological innovation capability of the country where the target firms locate, and the acquiring firm’s preannouncement in shaping their positive judgment of the acquiring firm’s near future performance. Originality/value The authors distinguished the responses of the investors from the mainland and Hong Kong stock markets and investigated how the knowledge of the national innovation capability of the target firm and acquisition preannouncement influence the investors’ interpretation of the cross-border M&As as a market signal.

Five Years Post-Mandate

This chapter documents the largely beneficial results of the lingua franca mandate on Rakuten over a period of five years, including the rise in international acquisitions, accelerated post-integration activities, centralized technical platforms, and knowledge sharing. An expanded and global talent pool changed hiring patterns within the Tokyo headquarters and worldwide, particularly in the engineering ranks. While many advances were made in the advent of the English language mandate, the chapter also highlights enduring challenges. In addition, it shows examples of Rakuten's influence beyond the confines of the organization. It chronicles how the prime minister of Japan tapped Mikitani to join a newly formed advisory body, the Industrial Competitiveness Council, to aid in developing a globalization agenda. A national language strategy was rooted in the actions that the council adopted. These activities demonstrate the role that companies can have in shaping societal growth and character.