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Diversification and the Legal Organization of the Firm

Author

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  • Jennifer E. Bethel

    (Babson College, Babson Park, Massachusetts 02157 and United States Securities and Exchange Commission, Washington, D.C.)

  • Julia Porter Liebeskind

    (Marshall School of Business, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089-1421)

Abstract

The existing literature on the relationship between strategy and structure tends to ignore the legal dimension of the organization of diversified firms. Yet, there is considerable variation in the legal organization of diversified firms; while some of these firms are organized as simple corporations, many are organized as “corporate groups” in which certain lines of business are organized as separate, subsidiary firms. In this paper we argue that this variation in legal organization is observed because legal organization can significantly affect firm value. In particular, forming subsidiary firms to accommodate new businesses can protect the outstanding stakeholders of a diversified firm from increases in bankruptcy risk and liability exposure. However, forming subsidiary firms also reduces economies of scope. Hence, there are offsetting costs and benefits to adopting different types of legal organization. Changes in these relative costs and benefits over time can also be expected to trigger changes in legal organization, as well as the divestiture of businesses characterized by particular types of economic hazards.

Suggested Citation

  • Jennifer E. Bethel & Julia Porter Liebeskind, 1998. "Diversification and the Legal Organization of the Firm," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 9(1), pages 49-67, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:ororsc:v:9:y:1998:i:1:p:49-67
    DOI: 10.1287/orsc.9.1.49
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Chang, Shao-Chi & Wang, Chi-Feng, 2007. "The effect of product diversification strategies on the relationship between international diversification and firm performance," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 42(1), pages 61-79, March.
    2. Juyoung Lee & Pratima Bansal, 2024. "Sweeping it under the rug: Positioning and managing pollution‐intensive activities in organizational hierarchies," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 45(6), pages 1151-1179, June.
    3. Yuan Lu & Jun Yao, 2006. "Impact of state ownership and control mechanisms on the performance of group affiliated companies in China," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 23(4), pages 485-503, December.
    4. Riccaboni, Massimo & Wang, Xu & Zhu, Zhen, 2021. "Firm performance in networks: The interplay between firm centrality and corporate group size," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 129(C), pages 641-653.
    5. Tatsuo USHIJIMA, 2021. "The Liability of Aging in Internal Capital Markets," Discussion papers 21065, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI).
    6. Tatsuo Ushijima, 2016. "Diversification, Organization, and Value of the Firm," Financial Management, Financial Management Association International, vol. 45(2), pages 467-499, May.
    7. Argyres, Nicholas S. & Liebeskind, Julia Porter, 2002. "Governance inseparability and the evolution of US biotechnology industry," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 47(2), pages 197-219, February.
    8. Shaleen Gopal & K. S. Manikandan & J. Ramachandran, 2021. "Are There Limits to Diversification in Emerging Economies? Distinguishing between Firm‐Level and Business Group Strategies," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 58(6), pages 1532-1568, September.
    9. van Oijen, A.A.C.J. & Hendrikse, G.W.J., 2002. "Governance Structure, Product Diversification, and Performance," ERIM Report Series Research in Management ERS-2002-51-ORG, Erasmus Research Institute of Management (ERIM), ERIM is the joint research institute of the Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University and the Erasmus School of Economics (ESE) at Erasmus University Rotterdam.
    10. Julia Porter Liebeskind, 2000. "Internal Capital Markets: Benefits, Costs, and Organizational Arrangements," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 11(1), pages 58-76, February.
    11. K. S. Manikandan & J. Ramachandran, 2015. "Beyond institutional voids: Business groups, incomplete markets, and organizational form," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(4), pages 598-617, April.
    12. Sharon Belenzon & Honggi Lee & Andrea Patacconi, 2023. "Managing risk in corporate groups: Limited liability, asset partitioning, and risk compartmentalization," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 44(12), pages 2888-2921, December.
    13. Daniel Albert, 2024. "What do you mean by organizational structure? Acknowledging and harmonizing differences and commonalities in three prominent perspectives," Journal of Organization Design, Springer;Organizational Design Community, vol. 13(1), pages 1-11, March.
    14. Sabine Langner, 2004. "Tracking Stocks," Schmalenbach Journal of Business Research, Springer, vol. 56(7), pages 666-684, November.

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