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To fill an important gap in the literature on acquirer prediction, this paper investigates which factors contribute to the likelihood that a firm will choose to acquire a target company from the United States (US) food and agribusiness industry (FABI). It relies on existing literature and a conceptual model in identifying the determinants of the choice to be an acquirer. Rejecting the pooled ordinary least squares and random‐effects models, the paper estimates a fixed‐effects logistic regression model based on panel data on acquirers and nonacquirers of US FABI (USFABI) target companies. Contrary to the study's various hypotheses, the results suggest that (1) efficiency, profitability, and liquidity do not affect the likelihood of being an acquirer, but that (2) less‐solvent, less‐leveraged, and less‐attractive firms are more likely to become acquirers (possibly to improve their solvency, profitability, and attractiveness). These contradictory results are attributed to the uniqueness of the USFABI sector. The mergers and acquisitions process may therefore be a way for acquirers of USFABI firms to strengthen themselves, not necessarily an expression of their financial strength. This analysis is useful to target companies, acquirers, transaction advisers, investors, regulators, and other merger and acquisition stakeholders. [EconLit Citations: D22, G24, G34, L66, Q14]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the impact of mergers and acquisitions on the liquidity of shares of industry peers of the target firm. The results document, on average, an improvement in the liquidity of industry peer firms' shares: bid‐ask spreads of industry peers decline, the Amihud illiquidity measure declines, and their trading volumes increase around the merger announcement relative to a control sample. Industry peers of the target firm experience significant cumulative abnormal returns (CARs) that are increasing with the improvement in liquidity of the firms' shares. Our findings are consistent with the notion that the publicity and attention around the announcement of an acquisition involving a close industry peer results in benefits arising from increased liquidity of shares and offers a possible explanation for the positive CARs experienced by industry peers of the target firm around merger announcements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Afyon Kocatepe University Journal of Social Sciences / Afyon Kocatepe Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi is the property of Afyon Kocatepe University (AKU) Sosyal Bilimler Enstitusu and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Purpose: This study describes how a multinational enterprise (MNE) gains acceptance after rebranding acquired brands from different countries among its internal and external stakeholders and identifies factors that influence this process. Design/methodology/approach: The study employed a single case-study approach, including 18 semi-structured in-depth interviews with employees of a firm involved in the rebranding process in six countries. The countries are Sweden, Germany, the United States, Brazil, Colombia and Mexico. Findings: The findings reveal how the MNE integrated brands it acquired in different international markets into one overarching corporate brand. The study shows that in emerging countries, external legitimation (external implementation process, country profiles and customer buy-in) constitutes the most significant challenge. By contrast, in developed countries, internal legitimation (employee buy-in and internal implementation process) is more challenging. Research limitations/implications: The study contributes to and extends the rebranding literature by using a legitimation lens to analyze the rebranding process. This lens shows how internal and external stakeholders are both crucial to successful rebranding. The study provides a comprehensive perspective of the process, identifies challenging factors and differentiates between their importance in emerging and developed countries. Originality/value: To address the dearth of research on how firms legitimize a new brand in different national contexts, the study compares the rebranding process in multiple countries and discusses the factors influencing the rebranding process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate whether the COVID-19 pandemic initiated merger waves at the aggregate and industry levels. The COVID-19 pandemic coincides with economic shocks, wide adoption of new technologies, and volatility in stock and energy markets, all potential triggers of restructuring activity. Our sample covers 104,464 acquisition deals of US targets from 2012 to 2022. We identify 37 industry-level merger waves. Twenty-three merger waves start during the COVID-19 pandemic. Eighty percent of the deals during the pandemic were part of an industry merger wave. This concentration of industry waves drove an aggregate merger wave starting on April 2020. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the informative role of announcement returns in the deal-closing decision for cross-border acquisitions from emerging economies. Using a sample of 903 acquisitions from five emerging economies: Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa (BRICS), we find that the likelihood of deal completion increases if the market reacts favorably at the time of announcement. Further, we investigate if the relationship between announcement returns and deal completion becomes more significant under increased information asymmetry. Empirical results attest that the relationship between the market reaction and deal completion becomes more pronounced in unrelated deals and deals without advisors. JEL Codes : G14, G34 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The events produced at the international level today demonstrate and track the recent evolution of the security environment of each member state of the European Union and beyond. The direct and indirect threats to regional and global security and stability require the taking, by the bodies empowered in this regard, of some precautionary measures and the improvement of the already existing military equipment at the level of each structure representing the military force of the states. In order to increase the sustainability and production capacity of the European Union, it is essential not only to increase, but also to optimize national and international investments in this field. This approach is necessary to achieve a significant change in strategy and to strengthen the joint capability to respond to critical needs.

Brand acquisitions are a popular growth strategy. However, both anecdotal evidence and initial empirical evidence suggest that acquisitions can harm the acquired brand. This article proposes and tests a theoretical framework that aims to explain when and why consumers react negatively to acquired brands. Across ten studies using different methods, research designs, product categories, and brands, the authors demonstrate that these negative brand reactions can be explained by the perceived loss of a brand's unique values. Building on this values authenticity account, they document that the negative effect of acquisitions depends on the acquired brand's values, brand age, leadership continuity, and the alignment between acquiring and acquired brands. The findings offer important theoretical and managerial implications, helping managers predict and mitigate the negative effects of acquisitions for brands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – This study investigated how the Covid-19 pandemic impacted cross-border acquisitions. Though literature suggests that cross-border investments decreased during the pandemic, there is little conclusive evidence on specific characteristics in the execution of particular acquisitions during such times. We applied the case study format to conduct our investigation by (1) providing a classification of influences on cross-border procedures and (2) highlighting critical characteristics during three phases of acquisitions, namely, search, negotiation and integration periods. Design/methodology/approach – The grounded theory approach was applied to three in-depth case studies of German companies that acquired Japanese targets during the Covid-19 pandemic. Data were supplemented by information received through additional case studies of German subsidiaries in Japan and interviews with consultants. Findings – Firms had already intended to acquire their respective targets, with their decisions having been made prior to the Covid-19 pandemic. Thus, the pandemic had no impact on target selection in the case firms. Owing to travel restrictions, information exchange was limited which inevitably led to higher usage of digitalization. While several barriers led to delays in negotiations, prevailing mutual trust and assistance from consultants helped to reduce difficulties. During the integration period, we found delays in synergy creation and increases in remote communication. Nevertheless, the digital workflow improved the efficiency. Originality/value – Our study provides novel insights into the execution of cross-border acquisitions impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. We discuss new implications for mergers and acquisitions (M&A) research and practice for the post-pandemic era, focusing on German firms acquiring Japanese targets.

This study investigates whether an increase in the demand for nonconventional work schedules helps explain the gender gap in career advancement. We look at employees of U.S. firms acquired between 2010 and 2014 and distinguish between same and different time-zone acquisitions. The idea is that time-zone differences between the headquarters and the newly acquired firm increase the demand for and value of working outside the standard working schedule. This, combined with social norms about women's role as caregivers, puts female employees at a disadvantage relative to men. Based on Zephyr-LinkedIn matched data, our results show that women are about 9.5% less likely than men to be promoted in cross-time-zone acquisitions than in same-time-zone acquisitions. The gap rises to 10.6% for managerial occupations, and it is higher for time-zone differences of two and three hours. We discuss the implications of our results for the management, evaluation, and retention of human capital in organizations and, more generally, for gender equality in the workplace. Funding: The authors thank the Editor and three autonomous referees for their comments on previous drafts of the paper. The authors also thank participants to the Strategy Science Virtual Conference 2020, the Strategy, Innovation and Entrepreneurship (SIE) Virtual Seminars held in December 2020, the Wharton Technology and Innovation Conference 2021, and the Work and Organization Workshop held in Madrid in May 2022. The authors acknowledge the financial support of the Invernizzi Center for Research on Innovation, Organization, Strategy and Entrepreneurship (ICRIOS) at Bocconi University. S. Breschi also acknowledges financial support through the MUSA – Multilayered Urban Sustainability Action [ECS 000037] and the GRINS – Growing Resilient, INclusive and Sustainable [PE00000018] projects, funded by the European Union – NextGenerationEU, under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP). Supplemental Material: The online appendices are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.2023.17685. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The frequency and scale of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) have significantly increased in the last two decades, in spite of continuous reports on their high failure rates. M&A scholars call for insights to be sought on the merger process to help understand the complexity of these operations and decrease their failure rate. M&A scholars advocate paying attention to institutional logics' configuration shaping a firm's decisions to grasp merger process complexity. Institutional studies show how specific logics have a powerful influence on the strategic decisions and priorities of organizations. Yet, few studies have empirically combined multiple levels by framing logics' configuration fostering specific strategic decisions. This study addresses this issue. Using a longitudinal case study, we analyze how institutional logics' configuration at organizational and inter‐organizational levels supports firms' strategic decisions to merge and to end the deal. We demonstrate that despite the alignment of logics at the organizational level, the multiplicity of logics at the inter‐organizational level led to deal failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the role of employee mobility network in influencing a firm's merger and acquisition behavior. Specifically, we draw upon the social network perspective and theorize that a firm's employee mobility network centrality positively influences the number of announced merger and acquisition deals in a hi-tech industry. However, the firm's prior acquisition experience and absorptive capacity negatively moderate the relationship between the employee mobility network centrality and the number of announced merger and acquisition deals. Our findings based on a sample of US semiconductor firms in the period 1992–2010 provide robust support to our theorization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Every year the United States invests $3.2 billion in the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program to promote innovation among the nation's small businesses. Half of this investment is from the DoD. This research considers the challenges faced by small businesses innovating with the DoD, particularly those awarded SBIR contracts with the United States Air Force. The authors surveyed 286 unique small businesses that were previously awarded an Air Force SBIR contract. By asking the survey respondents open-ended questions and categorizing their responses, they pinpoint unaddressed challenges from the small business perspective. By categorizing survey responses through Qualitative Content Analysis, they further identify five categories of challenges: Solver-Seeker Disconnect, Funding, Engagement, Processes, and Seeker Education. With this new insight, the authors seek to inform SBIR policies and improve the program's effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Academic libraries are entering a new reality for collections and resource sharing due to the increased acquisition of electronic books, or ebooks, during the last decade. The need to interlibrary loan (ILL) ebooks will likely increase based on current purchasing trends, but how well are we prepared for this future? Important advancements are underway, but ILL for ebooks is hampered by restrictive licensing models, resource sharing systems, and current practices. This study provides an environmental scan of the current acquisitions and ILL practices of academic libraries. This paper guides academic libraries through these conversations so that they can support the borrowing and lending of ebooks into the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explains the effects originated by the massive entrance of foreign capital in the ceramic tile district of Castellon (Spain). Cross-fertilizing multinational acquisitions and industrial districts' literature, and using mix-methods on a focal case study, our article explores the effects that those multinationals have on districts, and whether the type of multinationals (financially-oriented vs industrial) presents different impacts on a focal industrial district. Our results point out that the massive entrance of foreign capital alters the local system. Overall, positive perceived attitudes are evidenced, along with negative attitudes associated with potential risks of lack of local-embedded ownership and the reduction of local cooperative ties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fifteen percent drop in local demand observed after acquisitions of local breweries by large firms. A large stream of literature shows that the emotional bond between consumer and brand can induce a sense of psychological ownership, and shocks to this relationship, such as brand repositioning or acquisitions, can induce a negative consumer reaction. This article provides a large-scale empirical study on such brand "transgressions" in the context of acquisition of local breweries by large conglomerates. Our analysis covering 40 brand acquisitions shows a strong negative reaction to acquisitions on social media. Analysis of transaction data shows that this adverse sentiment results in a 15% drop in baseline demand in the local market following the acquisition. This represents a significant negative shock to the acquired brand, as the local region accounts for more than one-fifth of brand sales on average, even in the long run. The decline begins immediately following the acquisition and manifests in both sales and product ratings. Our findings indicate a more pronounced reaction to acquisitions by "big business" and provide evidence of demand spillover in the home market to competing brands that remain locally owned. The theoretical and managerial implications of our findings are discussed. History: Catherine Tucker served as the senior editor. Supplemental Material: The online appendix and data files are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mksc.2022.0383. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper uses business segment revenue data to examine the determinants of firm diversification over firm life cycles and whether diversification affects the survival of the firm. I analyze the life cycles and diversification choices of 727 firms that had their initial public offerings in 1998 and 1999 for twenty-one years. The results of this paper provide evidence of the life cycle theory of diversification in that firms are more likely to be diversified in the Mature life cycle stage and less likely to be diversified in the Introduction stage, regardless of the firm's age. The paper's results also support the agency theory of diversification, as diversifying firms are less likely to be acquired but not less likely to have a negative ending. A higher degree of diversification is related to a decreased likelihood of the firm being acquired. Firms that focus on creating growth opportunities with their diversification are less likely to be acquired than those that diversify by growing their existing business segments. JEL classification codes: G3, G32, G33, G34 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Firms employing former or incumbent members of management and supervisory boards of commercial banks exhibit higher acquisitiveness. The presence of bank-associated officers increases firms' proclivity to engage in serial, cross-industry, and cross-border acquisitions. Firms employing bank-associated officers buy targets with lower complementarity. They are also significantly more likely to settle transactions in cash, especially their first acquisition. While all firms experience acquisition-related increases in leverage, the latter is higher in firms employing bank-associated officers, particularly those associated with state-owned banks. Acquisitions completed by banker-employing firms record lower short-term shareholder returns than the remainder of the research sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Jurnal Manajemen Pendidikan dan Ilmu Sosial (JMPIS) is the property of Dinasti Publisher and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper aims to make a conceptual and empirical contribution to our understanding of the effects of extra-regional assets and knowledge inflow, through mergers and acquisitions (M&A), in different types of regions. We revealed that the M&A market is not geographically homogeneous, and regions differ in all aspects of the M&A market: relative position, local density and foreign attractiveness, the same as in the M&A intensity. This heterogeneity is not random but follows a spatial pattern and differences in economic fundamentals of regions, but at the same time, there is no linear relationship between economic performance and M&A performance. The regional M&A market characteristics can explain differences in the impacts of M&A transactions on the economy, especially in the exit rate of companies after acquisition and in the change of employment. The impacts of M&A on the regional economy generally do not differ by sector of the acquired company. However, some patterns show that the negative effects are more present after acquisitions of firms in tradeable sectors in the less developed regions, whereas in the stronger regions, the most vulnerable sectors belong to the part of the economy which offers mundane, but occasionally purchased (and thus substitutable) goods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small businesses within the digital sector are spread across the USA. However, a significant number of promising small businesses concentrate in major technology hubs, either initially or through relocation. This phenomenon can be attributed to the influential role played by localized markets for financing and acquisition, which is, in turn, driven by the dominant market positions held by major digital platforms. Our research demonstrates a clear pattern of localized acquisition markets, particularly in sectors frequently targeted by the seven largest American digital giants—Amazon, Alphabet (Google), Apple, Microsoft, Meta (Facebook), Oracle, and Adobe, collectively known as 'Big Tech'. This localization trend has become more pronounced between 2000 and 2020. Our analysis indicates that the gravitational pull of these acquisition markets poses challenges to local initiatives aimed at fostering digital businesses. These efforts would be more successful if measures were taken to limit the market influence of digital platforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research Summary: Being able to sell a business not only allows a firm to exit an industry but is also a motivation for entrepreneurial entry. Therefore, factors that make acquisitions less desirable for potential acquirers could not only affect the rate of acquisitions, but also entry and exit. We test this in the context of judicial adoptions of product line exceptions, which increased acquirer exposure to potential accumulated liabilities. We find that after adoption, and relative to nonmanufacturing establishments, acquisitions of manufacturing establishments decrease, while exits through closure increase. Relative entry of manufacturing establishments declines. These effects are higher in industries where resalability of physical capital is lower and for smaller entrants. Interestingly, while the likelihood of acquisitions declines for older establishments, it increases for younger ones. Managerial Summary: Making it harder to sell a business not only hinders business transfers but also affects business entry and exit. This is because entrepreneurs and businesses often exit by selling to other firms, not just through closures. Based on comprehensive data on US establishments, we provide evidence supporting this thesis. We find that after judicial adoption of a legal principle that holds acquirers accountable for the acquired firm's product line liabilities, the probability of manufacturing establishments (which are more likely to have such liabilities) being acquired decreases more than that of other establishments. Simultaneously, closures as a form of exit increase, and the relative entry of manufacturing establishments declines. These findings underscore the strategic importance of acquisition‐driven exits for businesses and entrepreneurs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Studia Universitatis Babes-Bolyai, Theologia Reformata Transylvanica is the property of Babes-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In today's dynamic corporate environment, mergers and acquisitions are crucial strategies for firms striving for long-term sustainability and effectiveness. This is especially pertinent in the Indian banking sector, which caters to a large customer base where exemplary customer service is essential for business prosperity. This study investigates the repercussions of mergers and acquisitions on customers within the Indian banking sector. Employing a descriptive approach, the research utilizes both primary and secondary data sources. Primary data is gathered through a convenient sampling method from customers in Manipur yielding 56 completed questionnaires out of 60. The collected data undergoes quantitative analysis using IBM SPSS, employing techniques such as percentage analysis and factor analysis. The results highlight three significant factors - technological improvement, customer orientation, and speed of integration - that collectively account for 60.74% of the variance. While acknowledging limitations such as potential variability due to sample size, the study offers valuable insights into the impact of recent mergers and acquisitions on Indian banking customers. By focusing on this specific demographic, it enriches the existing literature with a nuanced examination of their experiences and perspectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the economic consequences of the IFRS 3 (2008) requirement for fair valuing earnouts. Using a hand-collected sample of earnout fair value estimates in acquisitions completed by Australian firms, we find that a significant portion of acquirers overstate initial earnout liabilities and strategically reverse them as operating gains to boost post-M&A earnings. These overstatements are more pronounced when acquirers face investment- and performance-related pressure but attenuated in the presence of high-quality auditors and debt-financed deals. Acquirers also obfuscate earnout-related disclosures, inhibiting investors' assessment of earnout values. By doing so, managers extend their tenure. Further analysis reveals that IFRS 3 (2008) leads to a significant increase in both the frequency and magnitude of earnouts in public acquirers' transactions. Overall, we highlight the accounting benefit of earnouts for acquirers under IFRS 3 (2008), with implications for investors, analysts, auditors, and standard setters. Data Availability: Data are available from the public sources cited in the text. JEL Classifications: G34; M41. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A growing literature suggests that deliberate, cognitive effort is necessary for learning to occur in the context of complex strategic activities. However, given increasing pressure for short-term results, it remains unclear what motivates management to actually invest such effort in learning, which benefits performance primarily in the longer term. To help fill this gap in our understanding of the motivational mechanisms behind organizational learning, we theorize whether and how corporate governance mechanisms push management toward more effective learning from its firm's acquisition experience. Using data on U.S. firms' acquisitions from 1996 through 2012, we find considerable support for our arguments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fulfilling requests for media content in support of classroom and faculty research activities is demanding for academic libraries. Libraries strive to meet requests for media while working with challenges such as intellectual property license contracts, advances in digital communication technologies and copyright issues. This article provides an in-depth look at the changing demands of collections and services in addressing faculty requests for media, and outlines both a collection and a service strategy developed by librarians at the University of South Florida Libraries to provide faculty and students with access to diverse media titles in formats ranging from physical to streaming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Auburn University at Montgomery (AUM) Library examined its current acquisitions circulation rate over a period of five years (from 2017-2021) to determine whether materials being added met student and faculty needs as demonstrated by circulation patterns, and if there was a difference in circulation patterns between acquired print and e-books that might help the library determine where to better focus its resources: print or electronic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Government in England contributes an estimated £3.9 billion funding to support childcare and education for three- and four-year olds and for some two-year olds. A significant proportion of this money is spent on private sector childcare. However, little is known about how the money paid to companies providing private sector childcare is used. Through a cross-case analysis, the financial accounts of a sample of medium-to large private 'for-profit' childcare groups were compared with some 'not-for-profit' childcare providers. We found that for the for-profit companies, a considerable amount of money is being extracted for debt repayment and relatively little goes into staff wages. We found that large private for-profit nursery groups predominately use 'private equity' models which are characterised by borrowings and debt, with a focus on short-term financial returns. This 'for-profit' financial operating model arguably risks the sustainability of provision in the sector. Reformed regulation and transparency in the accounting of such providers and a consideration of alternative 'not-for-profit' financial models could provide greater stability and resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the third part of the article, the main historical events in dates, facts and personalities of the formation and development of the Department of Earth Sciences of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine from the time Ukraine gained independence in 1991 and until now are considered in chronological order. The most important achievements of the scientists of the Department of Earth Sciences of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, who were awarded the State Prizes of Ukraine in the field of science and technology, as well as the prizes of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine named after outstanding scientists of Ukraine -- V.I. Vernadsky, P.A. Tutkovsky, S.I. Subbotin. In the early 1990s, in the conditions of complex social transformation, there was a significant quantitative reduction in personnel potential, but the Academy of Sciences of Ukraine managed to get out of the crisis. At the expense of internal reserves, the network of its institutions and scientific units was reorganized. After the declaration of Ukraine's independence, a number of academic institutions were created as part of the Earth Department of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. In 1996, the Ukrainian flag was raised in Antarctica -- Ukraine, according to an agreement between the British and Ukrainian governments, officially took possession of the "Faraday" research station, which became the property of Ukraine and received the name "Akademik Vernadsky" . Information provided regarding the Targeted comprehensive programs of resource-oriented scientific research of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine: "Mineral resources of Ukraine and their extraction" (2004-2008), "Comprehensive bio-resource, hydrophysical and geological-geophysical research of the marine environment, promising oil and gas structures and mapping of the distribution of gas hydrates in the water area of the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov" (2007-2009), "Strategic Mineral Resources of Ukraine" (2009-2015), "Comprehensive Assessment of the State and Forecasting of the Dynamics of the Marine Environment and Resources of the Azov-Black Sea Basin" (2010--2012), "Comprehensive Monitoring, Assessment and forecasting the dynamics of the state of the marine environment and the resource base of the Azov- Black Sea basin under conditions of growing anthropogenic load and climate change" (2013-2015), "Mineral and raw material base of Ukraine as the basis of state security" (2016-2020), "Critical and strategic mineral resources of Ukraine under the conditions of globalization and climate change" (2021-2025). In a difficult time for the country, scientists of the Department of Earth Sciences of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine in the conditions of war continue their activities aimed at maintaining the functioning of the branches of the economy of Ukraine, monitoring the state of the environment and ensuring counteraction to the aggressor and adverse natural phenomena. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reports an evaluation of the impact of horizontal ownership concentration on communications sector access pricing outcomes. Detailed historical data of postacquisition impacts on firms' access revenue outcomes have enabled analysis for the entire local exchange sector of the United States telecommunications industry. The findings are (1) the sector's horizontal ownership concentration process has caused key access-providing firms' average access revenue ratios to be over 16 percent higher; (2) access revenue enhancements, through using market power, by entities belonging to larger groupings, have resulted in aggregate annual fiscal windfalls of between $5 and $6 billion; (3) these windfalls have accounted for between 4.5 and 5 percent of provider firms' total revenues; (4) on average, each entity evaluated has received approximately between $120 and $150 million in incremental annual revenues via potential overcharge of access rates; and (5) United States telecommunications customers have incurred a between 6 and 7 percent overcharge on monthly bills, over several years, because network access charges have been higher, in part due to horizontal ownership concentration. Access charges are regulated, and horizontal ownership concentration-enhancing deals were allowed only after stringent institutional assessments. The resultant market power exploitation has led to the significant exploitation of United States telecommunications customers. Creation of substantial potential, and across-the-board, inflationary pressures and harm to consumers has been immense. Classic topics, such as access regulation and merger control, remain contemporary, demanding detailed attention, if digital technology is to be ubiquitous in humanity's service. Concomitantly, key contemporary corporate governance concerns, relating to the emergence of horizontal ownership concentration patterns, also become apposite since the associated outcomes have innate major welfare impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since it was opened in 2006, the collections of the Centre national du costume et de la scène (CNCS) are regularly added to, thanks in particular to donations made by theatre companies, by artists, by theatres and by other professionals or individuals involved in the performing arts. At the heart of its missions, acquisition policies are a crucial issue then for this young institution which is often offered voluminous collections. How to choose amongst the collections offered? What selection criteria? Which costumes should be kept, and why? Based on an assessment of several years’ experience, this article proposes an analysis of the ways in which the collection has been built up, thanks to the establishment of processes and methods that are specific to the acquisition policy defined by the CNCS.

The success of platform companies often depends on their ability to "scale" their customer and supplier base. Existing studies have focused on a variety of approaches that platforms may use to scale but have not systematically considered that platforms might acquire other companies as part of this growth strategy. In this paper, we study the acquisition patterns of digital platform companies and contrast these with the acquisition patterns of digital non-platform companies. We find that platform companies acquire earlier (shortly after founding) when compared with non-platform companies, and they often first acquire competing platform companies from the same market niche. As platform companies mature, they begin to acquire non-platform companies from other market niches. This contrasts with how acquisitions are made by non-platform companies, as shown in our analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital ecosystems penetrate many areas of modern life, they integrate many services and are growing partially through acquiring start-ups. These can lead to a rise of their market power, which in turn has caused the increased attention of antitrust regulators in recent years . The new changes into the Russian antitrust law contain the requirement for scrutiny for mergers above 7 billion of rubbles. This additional criterion is designed to include the acquisitions of startups by digital ecosystems that currently do not need to be announced to the Russian antitrust service. As for economic literature, there is no consensus on the way mergers with startups affect markets, in particular, venture capital market. The purpose of this work is to assess the effects of mergers of digital ecosystems with Russian startups in different niches of the venture investment in these niches. Methodologically, our study is based on economic theory and particularly on industrial organisation, antitrust economics; we also use econometrics while estimating causal inferences. We perform econometric analysis of panel data and matching to evaluate the effect of mergers of digital ecosystems with startups. In our quantitative analysis we use data collected from the website Rusbase, which gathers information on deals with Russian startups building primarily on open sources. In our study, we conclude that niches where digital ecosystems more actively purchase or invest in startups tend to be lower investments, smaller total and average purchase prices, which may indicate some washing out of investments in such niches. However, the effect we see may be present due to the changing popularity of niches and/or bringing forward of investor decisions, and not to the kill zone that is claimed to be one of the downsides of such mergers, since we observe a short-term increase in the number of investment decisions in a niche during the period when a startup is acquired by the digital ecosystem.

The memoir narrates how Paul Crego came to study the Russian and Georgian languages. With a background in Soviet Studies, Crego went on to earn degrees in Divinity and Theology at Harvard and the Andover-Newton Theological School before becoming a librarian. Crego's library career, which centered on Georgian and Armenian acquisitions and cataloging, spanned more than 25 years at Harvard and the Library of Congress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes an acquisitions trip made in mid-1992 by Library of Congress librarian Michael Neubert with then-bibliographic services contractor Mikhail Levner to Moscow (Russia, Yerevan (Armenia), Minsk (Belarus), Tbilisi (Georgia), and Chișinău (Moldova). This trip was made in response to the collapse of purchase acquisitions from these newly independent former Soviet republics in order to establish exchanges with national, academy of sciences, and university libraries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analyzed checkout data from hardback and paperback volumes in the BYU library to determine if there was a difference in circulation rates. Based on usage from 2000 through 2020, hardback volumes are no more likely to circulate than paperbacks over that 20 year range, regardless of when the book was added to the collection or its subject (i.e. humanities, sciences, or social sciences). Also, the average number of circulations for these volumes was low enough that damage to a paperback book was unlikely. Given the lower price of paperbacks, academic library budgets may be better served buying paperbacks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]