The analysis provides an overview of international trends in private equity and develops a conceptual framework for understanding the heterogeneity of private equity deals. Systematic evidence from large-scale studies of private equity and buy-outs are used to shed light on short- and longer-term economic and social effects. For the first time the broader scope of the key issues now facing private equity and buy-outs are brought together in the contributions herein. The book includes highlights such as:

• empirical evidence on a special organizational form of private equity;
• examination of backed buy-outs (perspectives from strategy, finance, HRM and management accounting);
• discussion on the level of PE involvement;
• challenging further debate on economic and social key issues regarding policy implications and a future research agenda.

Academics and researchers - postgraduate and above - in business schools and schools of economics will find this book enlightening. It will also hold great interest for practitioners in the fields of mergers and acquisitions, general, strategic and financial management, and corporate entrepreneurship and corporate governance.