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Are Acquisitions A Poison Pill For Innovation?, Michael A. Hitt, Robert E. Hoskisson, R. Duane Ireland, Jeffrey S. Harrison

Management Faculty Publications

The recent wave of acquisition activity may be damaging the innovative capabilities of American firms, thus making them less competitive in the global marketplace. In fact, acquisitions often serve as a substitute for innovation, which may cause further neglect of internal research and development (R&D) programs. Additionally, acquisitions often lead to increases in leverage, diversification, and absorb significant amounts of executive time, which may lead to reduced managerial commitment to innovation.

In this article, evidence is presented suggesting that acquisition activity may result in reductions in R&D inputs and outputs. On average, the 191 firms in the sample reduced their …

Effects Of Acquisitions On R&D Inputs And Outputs, Michael A. Hitt, Robert E. Hoskisson, R. Duane Ireland, Jeffrey S. Harrison

Management Faculty Publications

Making acquisitions, although a popular strategy, may not always lead to positive firm performance. Researchers have offered several explanations for this relationship. One is that acquisitions lead to lower investments in R&D and curtail the championing process whereby organization members internally promote new products and processes in firms. The current research found that acquisitions had negative effects on "R&D intensity" and "patent intensity."

Strategic Competitiveness In The 1990s: Challenges And Opportunities For U.S. Executives, Michael A. Hitt, Robert E. Hoskisson, Jeffrey S. Harrison

Management Faculty Publications

U.S. firms face a major global competitiveness challenge. Although the problems relate, in part, to differences in the economic structure, history and cultural differences between the U.S. and foreign rivals, these factors may not explain as much of the variance in competitiveness as they did in the past. Competitiveness problems are also linked to a number of strategic factors under the control of managers. Among them are the absorption of managerial energy in mergers and acquisitions, increasing levels of debt, increasing firm size, greater firm diversification, lack of investment in human capital and inappropriate corporate culture.

In response to these …

The Myth Of "Conventional Wisdom" On Changing Multiple-Choice Answers, Marshall A. Geiger

Accounting Faculty Publications

Business students are often warned not to change multiple-choice answers once an original selection has been made. This "conventional wisdom," that the first answer selected usually is the correct answer, is in contrast with the conclusions of research in the education and psychology fields. This study extends these earlier studies by using students in accounting principles I and principles II classes, and by examining whether the type of question (numeric or non-numeric) affects answer-changing behavior. On average, for every point lost roughly three points were gained by changing answers for both groups. Additionally, gender was found not to be a …