The first volume to explore mergers and acquisitions in the 21st century. The authors systematically introduce, characterize and evaluate these mergers, and discuss the methodologies that can be employed to measure them. They also consider a number of factors relevant to the performance of mergers and acquisitions.

List of Tables List of Figures Acknowledgements Notes on Contributors Introduction; K.J.McCarthy & W.Dolfsma PART I: SETTING THE SCENE A Perspective from Economics and Law The Business Environment Mergers and Merger Waves: A Century of Cause and Effect; K.J.McCarthy The Legal Environment The Same But Different? A Comparison of The Regulatory Regimes of 21st Century Europe, the US, and China; O.J.McCarthy PART II: EXPLAINING M&A PERFORMANCE A Perspective from Economics and Business Firm Size When Bigger Isn't Always Better: A Study of Mergers and Acqusitions by Small and Medium Enterprises; U.Weitzel & K.J.McCarthy Merger Motives Merger Motives and the Realisation of Gains; K.J.McCarthy & U.Weitzel Shareholder Optimism Shareholders' Expectations, Aspiration Levels, and Mergers; E.Diecidue , J.van de Van & U.Weitzel A Perspective from Psychology and Sociology Culture Managing Culture in International Mergers and Acquisitions Christine Coisne Managerial Power Power, and the Destruction of Value in Mergers and Acquisitions; C.Ashton-James , K.J.McCarthy & A.Dranca-Iacoban Personality Mergers as Marriages: Using Attachment Theory to Understand Mergers and Acquisitions; B.Petkova & K.J.McCarthy PART III: MOVING FORWARD A Perspective from Computer Science A View to the Future A Data-Driven Approach to Mergers and Acquisitions; A.D.Pietersma & K.J.McCarthy