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Direct Estimation of Synergy: A New Approach to the Diversity-Performance Debate

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  • Rachel Davis

    (Stern School of Business, New York University, 7-63 Management Education Center, 44 West 4th Street, New York, New York 10012)

  • L. G. Thomas

    (School of Business, Emory University, 226 Rich Building, 1602 Mizell Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30322)

Abstract

This study examines the linkages between relatedness and synergy in the context of diversification among U.S. pharmaceutical firms for the period 1960--1980. Rather than assume (as in the entropy, Herfindahl and concentric indices of diversification) that the levels of synergy generated by different related combinations of business units are identical, we estimate synergy directly using a modified version of the concentric index. In addition to estimating synergy using capital market performance of the firm as a whole, we examine the effects of nondrug diversification on the innovative productivity of firms' pharmaceutical divisions alone. Our two main findings are that production relatedness, such as that between drugs and chemicals, in fact did not imply synergy over the period of our study; and that the patterns of synergy for different types of relatedness shifted over time with the industry life cycle.

Suggested Citation

  • Rachel Davis & L. G. Thomas, 1993. "Direct Estimation of Synergy: A New Approach to the Diversity-Performance Debate," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 39(11), pages 1334-1346, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:ormnsc:v:39:y:1993:i:11:p:1334-1346
    DOI: 10.1287/mnsc.39.11.1334
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Ruth, Derek & Iyer, Dinesh N. & Sharp, Barton M., 2013. "Motivation and ability in the decision to acquire," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 66(11), pages 2287-2293.
    2. Lorenz, Steffi, 2015. "Diversität und Verbundenheit der unternehmerischen Wissensbasis: Ein neuartiger Messansatz mit Indikatoren aus Innovationsprojekten," Discussion Papers on Strategy and Innovation 15-01, Philipps-University Marburg, Department of Technology and Innovation Management (TIM).
    3. Schosser, Maximilian & Wittmer, Andreas, 2015. "Cost and revenue synergies in airline mergers – Examining geographical differences," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 142-153.
    4. Rakesh Basant & Karthik Dhandapani, 2010. "Measuring Institutional Relatedness," Working Papers id:2543, eSocialSciences.
    5. Canales, J. Ignacio & Caldart, Adrián, 2017. "Encouraging emergence of cross-business strategic initiatives," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 35(3), pages 300-313.
    6. Troutt, Marvin D. & Acar, William, 2005. "A Lorenz-Pareto measure of pure diversification," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 167(2), pages 543-549, December.
    7. Alonso-Borrego, César & Forcadell, Francisco Javier, 2007. "Corporate diversification and R&D intensity dynamics," UC3M Working papers. Economics we078249, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid. Departamento de Economía.
    8. Jiménez, Alfredo & Luis-Rico, Isabel & Benito-Osorio, Diana, 2014. "The influence of political risk on the scope of internationalization of regulated companies: Insights from a Spanish sample," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 49(3), pages 301-311.
    9. Martin Woerter, 2009. "Industry diversity and its impact on the innovation performance of firms," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 19(5), pages 675-700, October.
    10. Sapienza, Harry J. & Parhankangas, Annaleena & Autio, Erkko, 2004. "Knowledge relatedness and post-spin-off growth," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 19(6), pages 809-829, November.
    11. Karthik, D. & Basant, Rakesh, 2009. "Measuring Institutional Relatedness," IIMA Working Papers WP2009-05-02, Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, Research and Publication Department.
    12. Kito, Tomomi & New, Steve & Reed-Tsochas, Felix, 2018. "Disentangling the complexity of supply relationship formations: Firm product diversification and product ubiquity in the Japanese car industry," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 206(C), pages 159-168.
    13. Karthik, D. & Upadhyayula, Rajesh, 2011. "Performance Implications of Diversification in Professional Service Firms: The Role of Synergies," IIMA Working Papers WP2011-01-01, Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, Research and Publication Department.
    14. Jeffrey A. Martin, 2011. "Dynamic Managerial Capabilities and the Multibusiness Team: The Role of Episodic Teams in Executive Leadership Groups," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 22(1), pages 118-140, February.
    15. Vincent L. Barker , III & George C. Mueller, 2002. "CEO Characteristics and Firm R&D Spending," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 48(6), pages 782-801, June.
    16. Ossadnik, Wolfgang, 1996. "AHP-based synergy allocation to the partners in a merger," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 88(1), pages 42-49, January.
    17. Alonso-Borrego, César & Forcadell, Francisco Javier, 2010. "Related diversification and R&D intensity dynamics," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(4), pages 537-548, May.
    18. Surenderrao Komera & P. J. Jijo Lukose & Subash Sasidharan, 2018. "Does business group affiliation encourage R&D activities? Evidence from India," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 35(4), pages 887-917, December.
    19. Villasalero, Manuel, 2017. "A resource-based analysis of realized knowledge relatedness in diversified firms," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 114-124.
    20. Chihmao Hsieh, 2011. "Explicitly searching for useful inventions: dynamic relatedness and the costs of connecting versus synthesizing," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 86(2), pages 381-404, February.

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