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. 2023 Sep;55(6):1618-1627.
doi: 10.1177/0308518X231190091. Epub 2023 Aug 15.

The economic geographies of mergers and acquisitions (M&As)

Liam Keenan  1 , Dariusz Wójcik  2
Affiliations

The economic geographies of mergers and acquisitions (M&As)

Liam Keenan et al. Environ Plan A. 2023 Sep.

Abstract

Mergers and acquisitions (M&As) are on the rise. Interlocking processes of globalization and financialization have increased their attractiveness and incentivized an upward spiral of M&A activity in recent years. This rise is profoundly spatial, as M&As reshape the geographies of production, consumption and finance, while aggravating uneven power-geometries through the concentration of corporate control. Despite this growth and inherent spatiality, economic geography research into M&As has waned. The aim this article is to demonstrate the value of M&As to economic geographers and highlight avenues for future research. This is achieved by explaining how qualitative and quantitative research into the motivations, outcomes and geographies of M&A activity can provide fresh empirical and conceptual insights surrounding wider geographical debates.

Keywords: M&As; Mergers and acquisitions; economic geography.

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Conflict of interest statement

The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Global M&A activity, 1985–2022. Source: Institute for Mergers, Acquisitions and Alliances (2023).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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