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The Employment Effects of Mergers in a Declining Industry: The Case of South African Gold Mining

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  • Behar Alberto

    (University of Oxford, Centre for the Study of African Economies)

  • Hodge James

    (Genesis Analytics)

Abstract

With data from the South African gold mining industry, we find evidence consistent with theories that mergers and acquisitions allow for the shedding of excess labor. Mergers are arguably exogenous in our sample, while an industry in decline can provide a good setting for testing the theories. The data clearly portray rises in real wages and falling employment after the end of apartheid. We find evidence of a significant negative effect of mergers/acquisitions on employment. The magnitude is similar to the effect in Continental Europe and larger than the effect in the United States. This supports the view that negative employment impacts are more likely in rigid labor markets.

Suggested Citation

  • Behar Alberto & Hodge James, 2008. "The Employment Effects of Mergers in a Declining Industry: The Case of South African Gold Mining," The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 8(1), pages 1-20, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:bpj:bejeap:v:8:y:2008:i:1:n:29
    DOI: 10.2202/1935-1682.1945
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    Cited by:

    1. Oliver Budzinski & Jürgen-Peter Kretschmer, 2009. "Horizontal Mergers, Involuntary Unemployment, and Welfare," Working Papers 90/09, University of Southern Denmark, Department of Sociology, Environmental and Business Economics.
    2. Behar Alberto & Hodge James, 2008. "The Employment Effects of Mergers in a Declining Industry: The Case of South African Gold Mining," The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 8(1), pages 1-20, August.
    3. Holger Gorg & Cecilia Hornok & Catia Montagna & George E. Onwordi, 2020. "Employment to output elasticities and reforms towards flexicurity: Evidence from OECD Countries," Discussion Papers 2020-24, University of Nottingham, GEP.
    4. Mr. Alberto Behar, 2015. "Comparing the Employment-Output Elasticities of Expatriates and Nationals in the Gulf Cooperation Council," IMF Working Papers 2015/191, International Monetary Fund.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • G34 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Mergers; Acquisitions; Restructuring; Corporate Governance
    • J23 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Demand
    • L72 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Primary Products and Construction - - - Mining, Extraction, and Refining: Other Nonrenewable Resources

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