The two last decades, global economy is moving towards to more integrated and convergent national economies that constitute a complex interdependent global economic system. In this context during the last decades the growth of multinational enterprises took the form of foreign direct investment (FDI). In this context companies that operate within the oil & gas industry have been engaged in foreign direct investment mainly through mergers and acquisitions (M&As). This thesis examines several issues that refer to the cross-border M&As in oil and gas industry. In particular, initially, the thesis sets the theoretical foundations of cross-border mergers and acquisitions analysis and examines the structure and the current trends of oil and gas industry. Afterwards, the thesis examines global trends and characteristics of cross-border mergers and acquisitions and identifies the dynamics and cycles of cross-border M&As in world oil and gas industry. Then, the cross-border M&As strategy of oil and gas multinational companies and the impact of geopolitics of oil and natural gas on FDI are discussed. These theoretical insights of the oil and gas industry are followed by the presentation of a number of case studies that refer to cross-border mergers and acquisitions. Overall, this thesis underlines that, through an active portfolio management, mergers and acquisitions is a major strategy for the companies in oil and gas industry that drives growth. The volume of cross-border M&As in oil and gas industry though fluctuates.
Τεχνολογικό Εκπαιδευτικό Ίδρυμα (ΤΕΙ) Δυτικής Μακεδονίας
