Business group affiliation and firm performance during institutional transition

Abstract

We investigate the performance implications of business group affiliation over a longitudinal period to capture the effects of institutional transitions. Drawing from the institutional voids and market failure perspectives of business groups, we argue that as institutions in a country evolve and markets for capital, labor and products develop, the positive effects of group affiliation will decline, while the negative effects will increase. We test our arguments on a sample of 8,882 Indian firms, 3,087 of which are affiliated with business groups and 5,795 of which are not. We look at the 12 year time period, from 1993-2004, during which there has been substantial development in various markets in India. We find that group affiliation becomes affiliated with lower firm performance during a period in which substantial institutional transitions have taken place.