Protectionism

A red gate with white padlocks.

Amir Shoham and colleagues examine how host country protectionist policies and intellectual property rights (IPR) protection regimes shape cross-border mergers and acquisitions (CB M&As) by U.S. multinational enterprises. Their study finds that protectionism generally reduces the likelihood of CB M&As. However, strong IPR protection can counteract this effect, enabling mergers to proceed despite restrictive policies. By addressing a gap in the literature, their research highlights the crucial role of IPR protection in mitigating the negative impact of protectionism, offering key insights for firms navigating global markets.