How Does Cultural Distance Matter in Long-term Value Creation of Cross-border Acquisitions?

This article explores the role of cultural distance on long-term value creation for Chinese acquirers based on a sample of Chinese cross-border acquisition (CBA) activities from 1999 to 2017. Our finding suggests that the long-term value creation after CBA is impeded by a greater cultural distance, and such a negative correlation is more prominent among acquirers in service or strategic emerging industries. However, this negative relationship can be mitigated by the capability of prior international acquisition experience in culturally similar countries or top managers' overseas education experience. Through drawing upon institution-, resource/capability- and industry-based views, this article takes a step toward understanding the role of cultural distance in emerging-market enterprises' (EMEs)' international acquisitions in the long run.