Effect of the Czech Firms Break-Up on their Profitability and Productivity

In this article we analyze medium- and long-term effects of firm break-up (and subsequent change in ownership) on its profitability and productivity. We use an extensive data-set of the Czech firms for the period 1996-2005. We employ the propensity score based matching methodology to account for potential endogeneity. Our results show that initial effects of the firm break-up are positive but they vanish in five to seven years after the break-up. Hence, the break-up of large and less efficient companies delivers a positive effect on corporate performance for a period of time. The effect is not permanent, though. Subsequent development in profitability and productivity is likely affected by ownership structure, corporate governance and other micro-level factors.