Italy: Demand for social responsibility in mergers and acquisitions

Abstract

AbstractIn Italy, there is a growing demand for social responsibility in mergers and acquisitions (M&As). Academic and newspaper articles are full of stories about M&As analyzed from the buyer's point of view. But this article looks at the other side of the story‐the view of the stakeholders of the selling firm. What are the risks that the buyer transforms, downsizes, or transfers the company to another location? How worried are current company stakeholders about this? And how does this affect a potential buyer's decisions? Should buyers consider local regulations, social norms, culture, and concerns? © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.