Peer effect in mergers and acquisitions for green innovation

This paper investigates the existence and moderating mechanisms of the peer effect in mergers and acquisitions for green innovation (GIM&As). Using Chinese GIM&A data from 2010 to 2023, we find that there is peer effect in GIM&As. In other words, a firm’s GIM&A decisions will be affe...

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Main Authors: Yue Gu, Wenwu Xie, Xiaoxia Qian, Jiamin Lv
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-05-01
Series:Journal of Innovation & Knowledge
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2444569X25000794
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author Yue Gu
Wenwu Xie
Xiaoxia Qian
Jiamin Lv
author_facet Yue Gu
Wenwu Xie
Xiaoxia Qian
Jiamin Lv
author_sort Yue Gu
collection DOAJ
description This paper investigates the existence and moderating mechanisms of the peer effect in mergers and acquisitions for green innovation (GIM&As). Using Chinese GIM&A data from 2010 to 2023, we find that there is peer effect in GIM&As. In other words, a firm’s GIM&A decisions will be affected by its peers’ GIM&As. More importantly, we uncover the novel mechanisms of a firm’s internal and external factors on the GIM&A peer effect. As for internal factors, a firm with higher ESG performance tends to adopt similar GIM&A strategies as its peers because it has more pressure to maintain its green reputation to sustain the competitive advantage. Moreover, higher managerial ability enables firms to make decisions more independently, rather than blindly imitating their peers’ GIM&As without considering their own characteristics and long-term development objectives. As for external factors, increasing environmental policies will weaken the GIM&A peer effect among firms by improving information sufficiency. Meanwhile, the GIM&A peer effect harms firms’ business performance because it may lead firms to initiate irrational deals that are either beyond their developmental needs or undertaken without adequate preparation. Our study provides convincing evidence and valuable advice for both firms and policymakers and helps them to reduce irrational imitations, thus better achieving the green innovation goals.
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spelling doaj-art-ed759478a63d4079a4ccbe2f509b41912025-08-20T02:26:14ZengElsevierJournal of Innovation & Knowledge2444-569X2025-05-0110310073410.1016/j.jik.2025.100734Peer effect in mergers and acquisitions for green innovationYue Gu0Wenwu Xie1Xiaoxia Qian2Jiamin Lv3Institute of Digital Finance, Hangzhou City University, Hangzhou 310015, ChinaInstitute of Digital Finance, Hangzhou City University, Hangzhou 310015, ChinaPeople’s Bank of China- Zhejiang Branch, Hangzhou 310001, ChinaInstitute of Digital Finance, Hangzhou City University, Hangzhou 310015, China; Corresponding author.This paper investigates the existence and moderating mechanisms of the peer effect in mergers and acquisitions for green innovation (GIM&As). Using Chinese GIM&A data from 2010 to 2023, we find that there is peer effect in GIM&As. In other words, a firm’s GIM&A decisions will be affected by its peers’ GIM&As. More importantly, we uncover the novel mechanisms of a firm’s internal and external factors on the GIM&A peer effect. As for internal factors, a firm with higher ESG performance tends to adopt similar GIM&A strategies as its peers because it has more pressure to maintain its green reputation to sustain the competitive advantage. Moreover, higher managerial ability enables firms to make decisions more independently, rather than blindly imitating their peers’ GIM&As without considering their own characteristics and long-term development objectives. As for external factors, increasing environmental policies will weaken the GIM&A peer effect among firms by improving information sufficiency. Meanwhile, the GIM&A peer effect harms firms’ business performance because it may lead firms to initiate irrational deals that are either beyond their developmental needs or undertaken without adequate preparation. Our study provides convincing evidence and valuable advice for both firms and policymakers and helps them to reduce irrational imitations, thus better achieving the green innovation goals.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2444569X25000794Q55O30G30
spellingShingle Yue Gu
Wenwu Xie
Xiaoxia Qian
Jiamin Lv
Peer effect in mergers and acquisitions for green innovation
Journal of Innovation & Knowledge
Q55
O30
G30
title Peer effect in mergers and acquisitions for green innovation
title_full Peer effect in mergers and acquisitions for green innovation
title_fullStr Peer effect in mergers and acquisitions for green innovation
title_full_unstemmed Peer effect in mergers and acquisitions for green innovation
title_short Peer effect in mergers and acquisitions for green innovation
title_sort peer effect in mergers and acquisitions for green innovation
topic Q55
O30
G30
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2444569X25000794
work_keys_str_mv AT yuegu peereffectinmergersandacquisitionsforgreeninnovation
AT wenwuxie peereffectinmergersandacquisitionsforgreeninnovation
AT xiaoxiaqian peereffectinmergersandacquisitionsforgreeninnovation
AT jiaminlv peereffectinmergersandacquisitionsforgreeninnovation