The syndication of private equity investments in South Africa

This paper examines the syndication behaviour of South African private equity and venture capital firms. Three possible rationales for syndication are tested: risk reduction through portfolio diversification (finance rationale), accessing the skills of other firms (resource-based rationale) and impr...

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Main Authors: N. Bent, K. Williams, E. Gilbert
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: AOSIS 2004-12-01
Series:South African Journal of Business Management
Online Access:https://sajbm.org/index.php/sajbm/article/view/667
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author N. Bent
K. Williams
E. Gilbert
author_facet N. Bent
K. Williams
E. Gilbert
author_sort N. Bent
collection DOAJ
description This paper examines the syndication behaviour of South African private equity and venture capital firms. Three possible rationales for syndication are tested: risk reduction through portfolio diversification (finance rationale), accessing the skills of other firms (resource-based rationale) and improved access to future investment opportunities (deal flow rationale). The finance-based rationale and deal flow rationales are found to be more important than the resource-based rationale. A number of firms additionally list Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) as an additional important reason for syndication. The reasons for syndication behaviour did not vary when small and large firms were considered separately. While firms taking part in start-up investments were more likely to syndicate, their reasons for doing so were not different from those who invest later in the investment life-cycle. While there is currently a low level of syndication of private equity investments in South Africa compared to Europe and the US, most SA firms regard syndication as beneficial and are more likely to syndicate in the future.
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spelling doaj.art-bc461da059704727b10853a0797f42a72022-12-22T02:24:51ZengAOSISSouth African Journal of Business Management2078-55852078-59762004-12-01354394810.4102/sajbm.v35i4.667389The syndication of private equity investments in South AfricaN. Bent0K. Williams1E. Gilbert2Graduate School of Business, University of Cape TownGraduate School of Business, University of Cape TownGraduate School of Business, University of Cape TownThis paper examines the syndication behaviour of South African private equity and venture capital firms. Three possible rationales for syndication are tested: risk reduction through portfolio diversification (finance rationale), accessing the skills of other firms (resource-based rationale) and improved access to future investment opportunities (deal flow rationale). The finance-based rationale and deal flow rationales are found to be more important than the resource-based rationale. A number of firms additionally list Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) as an additional important reason for syndication. The reasons for syndication behaviour did not vary when small and large firms were considered separately. While firms taking part in start-up investments were more likely to syndicate, their reasons for doing so were not different from those who invest later in the investment life-cycle. While there is currently a low level of syndication of private equity investments in South Africa compared to Europe and the US, most SA firms regard syndication as beneficial and are more likely to syndicate in the future.https://sajbm.org/index.php/sajbm/article/view/667
spellingShingle N. Bent
K. Williams
E. Gilbert
The syndication of private equity investments in South Africa
South African Journal of Business Management
title The syndication of private equity investments in South Africa
title_full The syndication of private equity investments in South Africa
title_fullStr The syndication of private equity investments in South Africa
title_full_unstemmed The syndication of private equity investments in South Africa
title_short The syndication of private equity investments in South Africa
title_sort syndication of private equity investments in south africa
url https://sajbm.org/index.php/sajbm/article/view/667
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