Abstract
This study aims to examine the impact of pharmaceutical industry mergers and acquisitions (M&A) on research and development (R&D) investment in Japan. Employing appropriate difference-in-difference (DID) estimation techniques associated with a propensity score-matching procedure, this study focuses on two main indicators of performance: R&D-related variables and profit variables. This study finds that after five years, R&D investment increases but profit performance declines. These findings suggest that a synergy effect exists between M&As and R&D investment, and the financial burden of an M&A and a large increase in R&D investment or problems merging distinct corporate cultures may possibly cause a decline in corporate performance in the long run. This study is the first to examine the impact of M&As on R&D in the Japanese market. Using the propensity-score-matching procedure to control for these simultaneous bias problems, this study succeeds in elucidating the cause and effect between M&A and R&D. The results provide quantitative support for the establishment of certain laws in Japan about M&As and the design of policies within the pharmaceutical industry
