STAKEHOLDER PRESERVATION OR STAKEHOLDER APPROPRIATION? THE ROLE OF TARGET SOCIAL PERFORMANCE IN ACQUISITIONS

Received:October 15, 2017  Revised:October 15, 2017

Key Words:  acquisition, stakeholder relationship, stakeholder appropriation, stakeholder preservation, similarity

Author NameAffiliation
Li Tong* Lee Kong Chian School of Business, Singapore Management University 
Jun Xia Naveen Jindal School of Management, University of Texas at Dallas 
Heli Wang Lee Kong Chian Business School, Singapore Management University 

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Abstract:
      We examine how target stakeholders affect an acquirer’s economic gains. Using a dataset of U.S. public firms from 1999 to 2011, we find that target CSR (corporate social responsibility) has positive impacts on market reaction toward an acquirer around the deal announcement date. Further, results show that CSR similarity strengthens the positive relationship between target CSR and market reaction toward an acquirer, whereas business similarity weakens this relationship. These results are more in alignment with the stakeholder preservation view highlighting the importance of protecting target stakeholders but challenge the view that an acquirer benefits from appropriation toward target stakeholders.

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