M&A Targets, Spin-offs and Interfirm Networks — A Simulation Study Based on the NK Model

To examine the impact of different integration behaviors adopted by firms with exploratory and exploitative M&A targets, this study categorizes spin-off behaviors into “additive” and “subtractive” ones from a network perspective. Integrating complex adaptive system theory, we develop an analytical framework that links M&A targets, integration behaviors, and outcomes. Additionally, an NK model is employed to compare the performance and evolution of interfirm networks for different spin-offs with the two types of M&A targets. Results show that: additive spin-offs increase betweenness centrality, reduce the constraint degree, global clustering coefficient, and overall network efficiency, rendering the ego network more open and facilitating the explorative target. Whereas the subtractive spin-offs improve the constraint degree and betweenness centrality while reducing the global clustering coefficient and overall network efficiency, making the ego network more closed, which is conducive to the exploitative target. The higher decision complexity makes a positive effect of spin-offs on M&A performance more pronounced than that of no spin-off behavior.