Life After Privatization
Published on 16. April 2015
Book
Hardback
304 pages
978-0-19-965831-2 (ISBN)
Description
Life After Privatization offers a refreshing and original theoretical conceptualization of what happened to stateowned enterprises after they were privatized from the late 1970s onwards.
Some privatized firms have become todays European and global giants, Alphas, merging with or acquiring other firms, whereas other firms, Betas, have been taken over by Alphas or other sectoral leaders. The book raises questions such as which privatized firms in the airline, automobile, and the electricity sectors in the UK, France, Germany, Italy and Spain are Alphas and Betas today? And why? Building on a variety of themes from both Political Science and Business Studies, it considers a comprehensive set of explanations both internal and external to the firm, to analyse why a firm may become an Alpha or a Beta. The evidence shows that while internal factors are important, the more external, political, factors are necessary and sufficient to explain why a firm becomes an Alpha or a Beta. This includes the impact of liberalization, the roles of states, and the actions of regulators that are lobbied by firms.
Based on exhaustive evidence, Life After Privatization concludes with a novel inductive theory, which offers a significant step forward for social science scholars and practitioners understanding of the politics businesses face in global markets.
Some privatized firms have become todays European and global giants, Alphas, merging with or acquiring other firms, whereas other firms, Betas, have been taken over by Alphas or other sectoral leaders. The book raises questions such as which privatized firms in the airline, automobile, and the electricity sectors in the UK, France, Germany, Italy and Spain are Alphas and Betas today? And why? Building on a variety of themes from both Political Science and Business Studies, it considers a comprehensive set of explanations both internal and external to the firm, to analyse why a firm may become an Alpha or a Beta. The evidence shows that while internal factors are important, the more external, political, factors are necessary and sufficient to explain why a firm becomes an Alpha or a Beta. This includes the impact of liberalization, the roles of states, and the actions of regulators that are lobbied by firms.
Based on exhaustive evidence, Life After Privatization concludes with a novel inductive theory, which offers a significant step forward for social science scholars and practitioners understanding of the politics businesses face in global markets.
Reviews / Votes
Charis book is effective in logically guiding the reader through the gap that exists in the literature between privatisation and M&A. His use of signposting and consistent use of summaries ensure that the book is easy to follow. * Barry Solaiman, Political Studies Review * This is an excellent guide to the complex financial machinations of the growing number of businesses with interests in global sets of assets. The focus is on enterprises formerly in state ownership and subsequently privatized. Detailed case studies of airlines, automobiles and electricity form the three core chapters of the book supplemented by useful introductions and conclusions. * Robert Millward, University of Manchester, Public Administration *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Oxford
United Kingdom
Target group
College/higher education
Dimensions
Height: 238 mm
Width: 157 mm
Thickness: 26 mm
Weight
596 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-19-965831-2 (9780199658312)
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Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Person
Raj Chari is an Associate Professor of Political Science at Trinity College Dublin, having earned his Ph.D. from Queen's University (Canada). His research has been centred on comparative public policy, with a focus on competition policy, the regulation of lobbyists from a global comparative perspective, and the role of different policy making actors at both the domestic and EU levels.
Content
1. Remembering Privatization and Conceptualizing Life Thereafter: Alphas and Betas ; 2. Explaining Why Firms May Become Alphas and Betas ; 3. Airlines: Come Fly With Me ; 4. Automobiles: Get it in Gear ; 5. Electricity: Powering Up ; 6. In the End: The LIFESHAPERS