Cross-Border Mergers and Acquisitions: On Revealed Comparative Advantage and Merger Waves

33 Pages Posted: 15 Dec 2005

See all articles by Steven Brakman

Steven Brakman

University of Groningen - Department of Economics; CESifo (Center for Economic Studies and Ifo Institute)

Harry Garretsen

Utrecht University - School of Economics; CESifo (Center for Economic Studies and Ifo Institute); Radboud University Nijmegen - Department of Economics

Charles van Marrewijk

Utrecht University - School of Economics

Date Written: November 2005

Abstract

By combining two large data sets (on international trade flows and on mergers and acquisitions - M&As), we are able to test two implications of Neary's (2003, 2004a) recent theoretical work. Analyzing M&As in a General Oligopolistic Equilibrium (GOLE) model incorporating strategic interaction between firms in a general equilibrium setting, we argue that: (i) M&As follow revealed comparative advantage as measured by the Balassa index, and (ii) M&As come in waves. We find convincing support for both hypotheses, thus showing for the first time that there is an empirical connection between export performance and mergers and acquisitions.

Keywords: comparative advantage, cross border mergers and acquisitions, merger waves, general oligopolistic equilibrium model

JEL Classification: F10, F12, L13

Suggested Citation

Brakman, Steven and Garretsen, Harry and van Marrewijk, Charles, Cross-Border Mergers and Acquisitions: On Revealed Comparative Advantage and Merger Waves (November 2005). CESifo Working Paper Series No. 1602, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=870389 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.870389

Steven Brakman (Contact Author)

University of Groningen - Department of Economics ( email )

P.O. Box 800
9700 AV Groningen
Netherlands
+31 50 363 3746 (Phone)
+31 50 363 3730 (Fax)

CESifo (Center for Economic Studies and Ifo Institute)

Poschinger Str. 5
Munich, DE-81679
Germany

Harry Garretsen

Utrecht University - School of Economics ( email )

Kriekenpitplein 21-22
Adam Smith Building
Utrecht, 3584 EC
Netherlands
+31 0 30 253 9810 (Phone)

CESifo (Center for Economic Studies and Ifo Institute)

Poschinger Str. 5
Munich, DE-81679
Germany

HOME PAGE: http://www.cesifo.de

Radboud University Nijmegen - Department of Economics ( email )

Nijmegen, 6500 HK
Netherlands
+31 24 361 5889 (Phone)
+31 24 361 1846 (Fax)

Charles Van Marrewijk

Utrecht University - School of Economics ( email )

Kriekenpitplein 21-22
Adam Smith Building
Utrecht, 3584 EC
Netherlands
*31-(0)30-2539810 (Phone)

HOME PAGE: http://www.charlesvanmarrewijk.nl

Do you have negative results from your research you’d like to share?

Paper statistics

Downloads
1,746
Abstract Views
6,704
Rank
18,455
PlumX Metrics