Spin-off strategies and performance: A case study of Taiwan's Acer group

Abstract

This study bridges a gap in current literature by providing empirical evidence of factors affecting the performance of non-academic spin-offs originating from the Acer Group in Taiwan. The Acer Group is the epitome of Taiwan's industrial development over the past 30 years. This study utilizes the spin-offs of the Acer Group to empirically analyze the influences on spin-off performance, demonstrating that the performance of a spin-off is significantly correlated with the number of years of service of the CEO in the parent company, as well as the method of company establishment, sources of company technology and number of items shared in common with the parent company. The analytical results obtained by this study highlight two issues. First, spin-off performance is likely to be enhanced if its operations are linked to those of the parent, and if the CEO has a long history of involvement with the parent, feeding his/her ability to tap into the resources of the parent. Second, a spin-off performs better during its initial stages if it is an internal venture spun out from the parent company with its technology researched and developed within the parent. Asian Business & Management (2010) 9, 101-125. doi:10.1057/abm.2009.24