Call For Papers
Behavioural Finance Working Group/M&A Research Centre Conference

Topic: Behavioural Finance and Cross Border Investments & Acquisitions

Dates: 21 - 22 June 2012, Behavioural Finance Working Group (BFWG)/M&A Research Centre (MARC) Cass Business School, London, UK

Keynote Speaker: Warren Bailey (Cornell University)

Organisers: Gulnur Muradoglu (Cass Business School, UK) and Scott Moeller (Cass Business School, UK)

SPECIAL ISSUE: Accepted papers will be considered for a special issue of The European Journal of Finance which will publish a selection of research presented at the conference.

BEST PAPER AWARD: There will be two best paper awards for the conference papers sponsored by the following Journals:
European Journal of Finance ( http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/titles/1351847X.asp)
Qualitative Research in Financial Markets journal ( http://www.emeraldinsight.com/qrfm.htm)

VENUE:
Cass Business School
106 Bunhill Row
London EC1Y 8TZ
UK

OVERVIEW: Investment decisions, whether for capital projects or company acquisitions, are presented to boards, shareholders, employees and other stakeholders as driven by clear financial and strategic processes. The approach to these decisions appear to be rational and the decision-makers dispassionate. Increasingly, however, research shows that human behavioural factors drive the decision-process, with behavioural economists and even traditional psychologists weighing in with their research showing that decision-making in the business and financial arenas parallels personal decision-making.

In this two-day meeting, we will consider how the fields of behavioural finance, economic psychology and other related areas can explain more clearly what happens in investment decisions at all levels of business, but with a particular focus on corporate finance issues in large investments such as foreign direct investments, company acquisitions and mergers. The cross-border element is particularly interesting, as it incorporates the additional complexities of culture and regulation, to note just two factors. The significant behavioural and psychological drivers to these deals will be discussed and debated.

TOPICS: We seek contributions relating to all behavioural finance issues including:
- Cross border equity investments
- Cross border company acquisitions and mergers
- Strategic investments
- Investment by financial sponsors, including private equity funds, venture capital funds, hedge funds, etc.
- Individual investors
- Foreign direct investment, including by sovereign wealth funds
- Behavioural finance issues in emerging markets

PAPER SUBMISSION PROCEDURE: We invite you to submit extended abstracts, papers-in-progress or full papers by the deadline of February 17th 2012. The organizers will come back with a decision within three weeks after this deadline. To submit a paper for consideration please email a PDF version of the paper to: Behavioural-Finance@city.ac.uk

Accepted papers will be considered for a special issue of The European Journal of Finance which will publish a selection of research presented at the conference. The special issue will be edited by Professors Gulnur Muradoglu and Scott Moeller. All papers will be double-blind refereed in the usual way. To submit your paper for the special issue, please send an expression of interest when you submit your paper to the conference. The closing date for the special issue will be soon after the conference, but will allow enough time for authors to revise their work to take into account discussion and feedback at the meeting. All submissions must be made using the The European Journal of Finance website: http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/rejf. Authors should note that there is a submission fee of Euro 100.00.

Papers seleccted for presentation at the meeting will also be considered for two best paper awards sponsored by following journals:
The European Journal of Finance ( http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/titles/1351847X.asp)
Qualitative Research in Financial Markets ( http://www.emeraldinsight.com/qrfm.htm)