Title: A comparative analysis of international and domestic acquisitions: what drives acquirer competitiveness?

Authors: Omer Faruk Genc; Rimi Zakaria

Addresses: School of Managerial Sciences, Abdullah Gül University, Kayseri, 38080, Turkey ' College of Business and Economics, University of Wisconsin – Whitewater, Whitewater, Wisconsin, 53190, USA

Abstract: Despite several decades of research in the context of mergers and acquisitions (M&As), an understanding of acquirer competitiveness in international vis-à-vis domestic acquisitions remains inconclusive. This empirical study presents a comparative framework to identify a set of intangible factors that differentiate the long-term competitiveness of acquirers engaging in both of these types of acquisitions. Building on the information asymmetry logic, we find that access to accurate information, acquirers' research and development (R&D) intensity, and similarity between the acquirer and the target play a vital role in determining the overall competitiveness of acquirers. Using a sample of all the M&As that occurred between 1985 and 2007 and applying a matching control methodology, sound comparisons are made to draw conclusions. From a theoretical standpoint, the findings help generalise the importance of intangible factors from the contextual, acquirer-centric, and dyadic angles. From a practical viewpoint, the conclusions enable managers to evaluate their firms' preparedness for international vis-à-vis domestic acquisitions.

Keywords: international acquisitions; domestic acquisitions; acquirer competitiveness.

DOI: 10.1504/JGBA.2017.088908

Journal for Global Business Advancement, 2017 Vol.10 No.5, pp.589 - 609

Received: 14 Mar 2017
Accepted: 13 Apr 2017
Published online: 02 Jan 2018 *

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