The Effects of Open Innovation Based on Mergers and Acquisitions on Innovative Behavior of Enterprises: Evidence From Chinese Listed Enterprises

Finding the factors driving enterprise innovation behavior from multiple dimensions is of great significance for promoting enterprise innovation. Open innovation based on overseas mergers and acquisitions (M&A) has become one of the main ways for enterprises to obtain knowledge and technology. However, there is still no agreement on whether open innovation based on overseas M&A can promote innovation behavior of enterprises. Based on data from M&A transaction and enterprise patent of China’s Shanghai and Shenzhen A-share listed companies from 2011 to 2018, this study constructs a propensity score matching and difference-in-difference model from the perspective of innovation performance and innovation investment empirically studies the influence of open innovation mode based on overseas M&A on the innovation behavior of enterprises and finds that open innovation based on overseas M&A can significantly promote the innovation performance and innovation investment. Meanwhile dynamic effects test shows this promotion effect is sustainable; it reaches the maximum in the year of overseas M&A and decreases in the next two years. In addition, the impacts are heterogeneous due to enterprise ownership and enterprise technology intensity. The findings extends the scope of understanding innovation behavior of enterprises from overseas M&A and provide solid evidence of significant business implications for the promotion of entrepreneurial innovation.