The impact of serial mergers and acquisitions on enterprises’ total factor productivity: The mediating role of digital transformation

Liyan Tan, Xiaoxu Zhang, Yu Song, Fei Zou and Qiaoran Liao

PLOS ONE, 2024, vol. 19, issue 11, 1-26

Abstract: Research background: M&A (Mergers and acquisitions) is a strategic measure for enterprises to expand their scale, enhance their competitiveness and improve productivity in the market competition. As a new factor of production, data is changing the factor input model and value creation path of enterprises. Research objectives: From the perspective of serial M&A, this study explores the impact of serial M&A on enterprises’ TFP (total factor productivity) and the mechanism of digital transformation between them. Research methods: Take the serial M&A transactions of China’s A-share listed companies from 2010 to 2019 as samples, using the theory of organizational learning to analyze the relationship among serial M&A, enterprises’ TFP and the degree of digital transformation. Three-step regression is used to construct a model that serial M&A indirectly affects enterprises’ TFP through intermediary variable digital transformation. Research finding: There is a significant inverse U-shaped relationship between serial M&A and enterprises’ TFP, and digital transformation plays a mediating role in this relationship. The impact of serial M&A on enterprises’ TFP shows an upward trend at first and then a downward trend and this relationship is indirectly realized through digital transformation. The results are still valid after considering the change-explained variables, lag test, Sobel-Goodman test, and Bootstrap test. Heterogeneity analysis shows that for enterprises with non-state-owned property rights, smaller enterprise scale, and higher business environment index, serial M&A has a more obvious effect on TFP indirectly through the degree of digital transformation. Research value: It further enriches the existing literature on the decision-making of M&A from the perspective of serial M&A and profoundly reveals the mechanism of the degree of digital transformation in the relationship between serial M&A and enterprises’ TFP. The research provides theoretical support and empirical evidence for enterprises to achieve high-quality development.

Date: 2024
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:plo:pone00:0311045

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0311045

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