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Legal systems, information asymmetry, and firm boundaries: Cross-border choices to diversify through mergers, joint ventures, or strategic alliances

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  • Tomas Jandik

    (Sam M. Walton College of Business, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, USA)

  • Raja Kali

    (Sam M. Walton College of Business, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, USA)

Abstract

We examine how the organizational structure for diversification decisions involving firms from different countries is affected by the institutional context of the target country. Our theoretical analysis suggests that, as legal systems improve and information asymmetry is reduced, a transition from relational, “firm-like” arrangements to arm's length, “market-like” arrangements takes place. If institutions continue to improve, eventually a threshold is crossed after which arm's length deals edge out internal firm contracting. We provide an empirical test of the model using the sample of international strategic alliances, joint ventures and cross-border mergers involving US firms. Our empirical findings support the predictions of the theory. In addition, we document that US companies entering organizational structures predicted by our model are associated with greater abnormal returns around deal announcements. Journal of International Business Studies (2009) 40, 578–599. doi:10.1057/jibs.2008.95

Suggested Citation

  • Tomas Jandik & Raja Kali, 2009. "Legal systems, information asymmetry, and firm boundaries: Cross-border choices to diversify through mergers, joint ventures, or strategic alliances," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 40(4), pages 578-599, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:jintbs:v:40:y:2009:i:4:p:578-599
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    Cited by:

    1. Smith, Deborah Drummond & Gleason, Kimberly C. & Kannan, Yezen H., 2021. "Auditor liability and excess cash holdings: Evidence from audit fees of foreign incorporated firms," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    2. Luc Renneboog & Peter G. Szilagyi & Cara Vansteenkiste, 2017. "Creditor rights, claims enforcement, and bond performance in mergers and acquisitions," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 48(2), pages 174-194, February.
    3. Renneboog, Luc & Szilagyi, Peter & Vansteenkiste, Cara, 2017. "Creditor rights, claims enforcement, and bond returns in mergers and acquisitions," Other publications TiSEM ef3ad779-66b4-4fca-a8e8-7, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    4. Yener Kandogan & Jens Hiller, 2018. "Alliances in international governmental organizations, regional trade agreement formation, and multinational enterprise regionalization strategy," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 49(6), pages 729-742, August.
    5. Bok Baik & Kwanghee Cho & Wooseok Choi & Jun-Koo Kang, 2015. "The Role of Institutional Environments in Cross-Border Mergers: A Perspective from Bidders’ Earnings Management Behavior," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 55(5), pages 615-646, October.
    6. Clemens Fuest & Felix Hugger & Samina Sultan & Jing Xing, 2022. "What drives Chinese overseas M&A investment? Evidence from micro data," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(1), pages 306-344, February.
    7. Ding Wang & Jiang Wei & Niels Noorderhaven & Yang Liu, 2023. "Signaling Effects of CSR Performance on Cross-border Alliance Formation," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 186(4), pages 831-850, September.
    8. Andriosopoulos, Dimitris & Panetsidou, Styliani, 2021. "A global analysis of Private Investments in Public Equity," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 69(C).
    9. Yang, Defeng & Sheng, Shibin & Wu, Shuilong & Zhou, Kevin Zheng, 2018. "Suppressing partner opportunism in emerging markets: Contextualizing institutional forces in supply chain management," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 90(C), pages 1-13.
    10. Jeffrey A. Chandler & Yeongsu (Anthony) Kim & Jacob A. Waddingham & Aaron D. Hill, 2023. "Going global? CEO political ideology and the choice between international alliances and international acquisitions," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 54(8), pages 1441-1470, October.
    11. Diego Useche & Ernest Miguelez & Francesco Lissoni, 2020. "Highly skilled and well connected: Migrant inventors in cross-border M&As," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 51(5), pages 737-763, July.
    12. Aguir, Iness & Misra, Lalatendu, 2017. "Ownership level choice and value creation in international joint ventures: The role of investor protection," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 515-535.
    13. Hamid Boustanifar & Edward J. Zajac & Flladina Zilja, 2022. "Taking chances? The effect of CEO risk propensity on firms’ risky internationalization decisions," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 53(2), pages 302-325, March.
    14. Owen, Sian & Yawson, Alfred, 2015. "R&D intensity, cross-border strategic alliances, and valuation effects," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 35(C), pages 1-17.
    15. Wang, Lei & Zhang, Chun & Jiang, Fuming, 2019. "Matching governance mechanisms with transaction-specific investment types and supplier roles: An empirical study of cross-border outsourcing relationships," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 28(2), pages 316-327.
    16. Michael Nippa & Jeffrey J Reuer, 2019. "On the future of international joint venture research," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 50(4), pages 555-597, June.
    17. Huang, Chenchen & Luo, Di & Mukherjee, Soumyatanu & Mishra, Tapas, 2022. "To Acquire or to Ally? Managing Partners’ Environmental Risk in International Expansion," MPRA Paper 117591, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 07 Jan 2023.
    18. Georgieva, Dobrina & Jandik, Tomas & Lee, Wayne Y., 2012. "The impact of laws, regulations, and culture on cross-border joint ventures," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 22(4), pages 774-795.
    19. George O. White & Orhun Guldiken & Thomas A. Hemphill & Wu He & Mehdi Sharifi Khoobdeh, 2016. "Trends in International Strategic Management Research From 2000 to 2013: Text Mining and Bibliometric Analyses," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 56(1), pages 35-65, February.
    20. Li, Dan & Miller, Stewart R. & Eden, Lorraine & Hitt, Michael A., 2012. "The Impact of Rule of Law on Market Value Creation for Local Alliance Partners in BRIC Countries," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 18(4), pages 305-321.
    21. Xu, Kai & Hitt, Michael A. & Brock, David & Pisano, Vincenzo & Huang, Lulu S.R., 2021. "Country institutional environments and international strategy: A review and analysis of the research," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 27(1).
    22. Ying Gan & Buhui Qiu, 2019. "Escape from the USA: Government debt-to-GDP ratio, country tax competitiveness, and US-OECD cross-border M&As," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 50(7), pages 1156-1183, September.
    23. Hoch, Felix & Lohwasser, Todor S., 2019. "The influence of institutions on venture capital: How transaction costs, uncertainty, and change affect new ventures," Discussion Papers of the Institute for Organisational Economics 9/2019, University of Münster, Institute for Organisational Economics.
    24. Mingyi Hung & Yongtae Kim & Siqi Li, 2018. "Political connections and voluntary disclosure: Evidence from around the world," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 49(3), pages 272-302, April.

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