Risk Arbitrage in Takeovers

This article studies the role of risk arbitrageurs in takeoversand the source of their advantage. We show how the presenceof arbitrageurs affects the value of the target shares, sincearbitrageurs are more likely to tender. Therefore an arbitrageurhas the informational advantage of knowing he bought shares.In equilibrium, the number of arbitrageurs buying shares andthe price they pay are determined endogenously. We also presentseveral empirical implications, including the relationship amongtrading volume, takeover premium, liquidity of the shares, andthe number of risk arbitrageurs investing in one particulardeal.     

Environmental,Social and Governance investing: Does rating matter?

In the last decade, the demand for sustainable and social investments has improved. The mutual funds industry has responded to market needs by offering a number of investment products focused on Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) companies. The aim of this article is to understand if an ESG score can actually be considered a valid criterion that portfolio managers could adopt, along with traditional risk–return optimisation, in selecting asset portfolios. The paper analyses the link between the performance and the ESG score of different sectoral portfolios (one for each sector of the Global Industry Classification Standard), entirely composed of ESG assets, in the search for a clear and strong positive correlation that could suggest an overall advantage to focus on an ex ante choice of assets with high ESG scores.     

Research design in total institutions: problems,pitfalls, and possible solutions

Research in total institutions is fraught with problems and pitfalls rarely discussed in methodology and research design textbooks but regularly encountered in the literature. Five of the major relevant problems in research designs for this area are considered, examples of the pitfalls are given, and suggestions for minimizing or overcoming them are offered.     

Peer effects on risk behaviour: the importance of group identity

This paper investigates whether and to what extent group identity plays a role in peer effects on risk behaviour. We run a laboratory experiment in which different levels of group identity are induced through different matching protocols (random or based on individual painting preferences) and the possibility to interact with group members via an online chat in a group task. Risk behaviour is measured by using the Bomb Risk Elicitation Task and peer influence is introduced by giving subjects feedback regarding group members’ previous decisions. We find that subjects are affected by their peers when taking decisions and that group identity influences the magnitude of peer effects: painting preferences matching significantly reduces the heterogeneity in risk behaviour compared with random matching. On the other hand, introducing a group task has no significant effect on behaviour, possibly because interaction does not always contribute to enhancing group identity. Finally, relative riskiness within the group matters and individuals whose peers are riskier than they are take on average riskier decisions, even when controlling for regression to the mean.     

Do data policy restrictions impact the productivity performance of firms and industries?

This paper examines how policies regulating the cross‐border movement and domestic use of electronic data on the internet impact the productivity of firms in sectors relying on electronic data. In doing so, we collect regulatory information on a group of developed economies and create an index that measures the regulatory restrictiveness of each country's data policies. The index is based on observable policy measures that explicitly inhibit the cross‐border movement and domestic use of data. Using cross‐country firm‐level and industry‐level data, we analyse econometrically the extent to which these data regulations over time impact the productivity performance of downstream firms and industries, respectively. We show that stricter data policies have a negative and significant impact on the performance of downstream firms in sectors reliant on electronic data. This adverse effect is stronger for countries with strong technology networks, for servicified firms, and holds for several robustness checks.     

Is lack of funds the main obstacle to growth? ebrd's experience with small- and medium-sized businesses in central and eastern europe

Small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) potentially constitute the most dynamic firms in an emerging economy. They are the ones most likely to move into areas of comparative advantage and high value added, though they often face economic, institutional, and legal obstacles. Obstacles include limited access to working capital and long-term credit, legal and regulatory restrictions, inadequate infrastructure, high transaction costs, and limited managerial and technical expertise. Despite the presence of multiple and often interrelated constraints, however, the widespread belief, on which policies to support SMEs are based, is that the lack of finance constitutes the main obstacle to the growth of SMEs.Enterprise survey work is the tool generally used to deepen our understanding of constraints affecting SMEs formation and growth. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is no exception in this respect: during its early years it drew substantially on a set of enterprise surveys conducted by the World Bank between 1991 and 1993 in Hungary, the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic (CSFR), Poland, and Russia investigating the obstacles faced by SMEs. As the volume and geographical spread of its operations increased, the EBRD felt the need to design and run its own surveys, effectively addressing specific issues encountered in the context of its increasing lending and investment activity in central and eastern Europe (CEE). The findings of this analysis confirmed the belief that credit constraints constitute one of the main obstacles to growth of SMEs and encouraged the EBRD to tailor its financing instruments to the stage of transition of the country in question and the ability of the local financial system to assume key responsibilities.This paper analyzes the way in which the EBRD strives to correct this capital market failure in the region in which it operates. The fundamental principles on which EBRD policy is based are: a preference for reaching the SMEs via local financial intermediaries, a commercial approach to the provision of finance, and finally a focus on development of the local financial system as a whole. It is still too early to draw conclusions on EBRD activity in the field of SMEs financing based on other types of indicators than data on volume of signed commitments. A large part of the loans is still in the grace period, therefore investments are in an early phase and operation performance evaluation reports on this type of operations are still too few. Aggregate data on volume of EBRD financing through financial intermediaries paint an encouraging picture. A 250% increase in the volume of such operations between 1994 and 1997, a nine-fold increase in the number of subprojects between 1995 and 1997, and an ever-widening geographical spread of activities and decreasing size of subprojects indicate that the experience of the EBRD in financing through financial intermediaries is on the whole positive. Financing provided to intermediaries is not necessarily always intended, nor guaranteed to reach SMEs. It is, however, guaranteed to create the appropriate financing channels which are necessary to ease the SMEs' liquidity constraint.This paper discusses the shortcomings of the financial system in the CEE countries. It outlines the EBRD policy to support SMEs and the various instruments employed so far and presents selected case studies to throw light on how good project design can help overcome difficult environments and lower the perception of risk connected to indigenous SMEs. A summary of the findings of the survey work conducted by the EBRD in the region is also presented.     

The role of industry variety in the creation of innovative start-ups in Italy

Small Business Economics - This paper aims to ascertain whether related and unrelated industry variety affects the creation of innovative as opposed to other start-ups in Italian local labor market...