Cross-border acquisitions and family businesses

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to shed light on the propensity of family firms to join a cross-border acquisition as acquirers. Design/methodology/approach The present study analyzes a sample of 270 acquisitions in the period 2015-2017 whose acquiring firms are represented by family and nonfamily listed European firms. Findings The results point out that family firms are less likely to make a cross-border acquisition than nonfamily counterparts. Originality/value In recent years, a growing body of literature has focused on the effects of family ownership on the propensity of making an M&A, on the method of payment chosen by an acquired family firm, and on the reaction of the market at the announcement of a family business' M&A. However, despite of the relevance of the entry modes of firms' internationalization strategies, scant attention has been devoted to cross-border M&As conducted by family firms, which occur when a family firm acquires a firm located in a foreign country. In order to fill the research gap, this work investigates the likelihood of a family firm's acquisition of a foreign target.