Shareholder heterogeneity, financing constraints, and organizational resilience: Mixed-ownership reform in Chinese private enterprises

Abstract

Private enterprise development encounters numerous challenges. China encourages state-owned enterprises to acquire equity stakes in private enterprises, thereby facilitating development of private enterprises through reverse mixed-ownership reform. To test the effectiveness of this approach, we focus on the impact of state-owned equity on the organizational resilience of private enterprises. Using empirical research methods and data from A-share listed Chinese companies from 2009 to 2022, we find that reverse mixed-ownership reform is significantly and positively correlated with the organizational resilience of private enterprises. Further analysis reveals that involvement of shareholders from state-owned enterprises can bolster the organizational resilience of private enterprises by mitigating their financing constraints. This paper extends the research on the mechanism by which a heterogeneous ownership structure can impact the organizational resilience of private enterprises and offers insights for private enterprises on how to bolster their organizational resilience through mixed-ownership reform.