Location of mergers and acquisitions in mature and emerging economies

Abstract : Multinational companies often undertake mergers and acquisitions to accelerate their growth, and the globalisation of markets encourages them to pay particular attention to the location of their activities. This paper attempts to assess the influence of the host country environment on the location of mergers and acquisitions in mature or emerging economies. We analyse the impact of the geographic, economic, institutional and cultural characteristics of the host country environment. The research model is tested on a sample of 395 mergers and acquisitions conducted by French multinationals. The four dimensions have a significant influence on M&A location, but institutional characteristics appear to play a predominant role.