Research

Behavioral Approach: Mergers and Acquisitions

This line of research explores how firms solve problems in the process of making an acquisition deal happen. Projects in this area focus on firms’ communication strategies for managing their investors’ reaction, their contracting strategies to negotiate M&A contracts, and changes in their acquisition behaviors in subsequent deals.

  1. Xing, Z. Mergers and attributions: An examination of M&A terminations in 1996-2015. Job Market Paper. Revising Manuscript.
  2. Weber, L. & Xing, Z. Shaping retained employee behavior in M&A: The impact of deal value frames on performance aspirations. Revising Manuscript.
  3. Xing, Z. Learn from breaking up: The effect of acquisition experience on the use of termination fee provisions.Dissertation Chapter 1. Revising Manuscript.
  4. Xing, Z. Attribution and make-or-buy decision.” Dissertation Chapter 3. Data Analysis.
  5. Xing, Z. & Jia. N. Money talks: The effect of financial constraint on firms’ R&D behavior. Data Cleaning.

Behavioral Approach: Inter-Organizational Governance

Similar to my studies on mergers and acquisitions, I also adopt a behavioral approach to study other inter-organizational relationships such as alliances and buyer-supplier relationships. Projects in this area focus on several aspects of governance, including the choice between formal and relational governance, contract negotiation and design, and contract amendment. I apply social psychological theories to understand the roles of learning, capabilities and knowledge, and framing in such a way that will influence how the exchange partner will interpret the contract and how they will act to fulfill their obligations under than contract.

  1. Mayer, K.J., Xing, Z. & Mondal, P. Contracting for innovation: Defining an exchange that fosters creativity while mitigating opportunism. Revise & Resubmit at the Strategic Management Journal.
  2. Xing, Z., Mayer, K.J., Xie, X. & Reuer, J.J. The effect of contract detail and prior ties on contract change: A learning story. Revise & Resubmit at the Organization Science.
  3. Mayer, K.J. & Xing, Z. Contractual Design of Alliances. In Mesquita, L., Ragozzino, R., and Reuer, J. J. (eds.) (2017), Collaborative Strategy: A Guide to Strategic Alliances: Cheltenham, England: Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd.
  4. Raveendhran,R.,Xing,Z.&Mayer,K.J.Understandingcontractingbehavior:Theroleofpower.InF.J.Contractor& J. Reuer (Ed.), Alliance Frontiers. New York: Cambridge University Press. in press.
  5. Gibb, J., Ting, X. & Xing, Z. Unpacking inter-firm relationships: Trust and contracts as complements and substitutes. Data Cleaning.

Other project

  1. Wang, Y., Xing, Z. & Paik, Y. Multimarket contact and patent litigation in platform-based markets: Evidence from the global smartphone industry. Revising Manuscript.
  2. Xing, Z. & Harmon, D. Consumer complaints and firm feedback. Data Analysis.