Résumé de la thèseCette recherche doctorale propose une analyse de l’impact des pratiques de mutualisation et de leur mise en œuvre sur la performance globale des organisations publiques. Cette recherche propose une définition des pratiques de mutualisation, en s’appuyant en particulier sur celles plus connues dans le privé comme la collaboration, le reengineering ou encore les fusions-acquisition. Elle s’appuie aussi sur la théorie des coûts de transaction et du changement organisationnel. D’autre part, l’analyse de la performance se fait à travers un prisme multidimensionnel que notre étude vient opérationnaliser. L’originalité de la recherche repose sur l’usage mixte d’une méthode quantitative, avec une enquête réalisée auprès des services départementaux d’incendie et de secours (SDIS) en France, et d’une méthode qualitative, à travers l’analyse approfondie d’une recherche-intervention de trois ans effectuée au sein d’un SDIS. Au global, les apports de la recherche apparaissent multiples. Tout d’abord, sur le plan théorique, il est notamment proposé un modèle novateur d’analyse de l’influence des pratiques de mutualisation et de leurs modalités de mise en œuvre sur les différentes dimensions de la performance publique locale. / This doctoral research is dedicated to the analysis of the impact of shared-resources mechanisms and their implementation on the global performance of public organizations. This research gives a proper definition to this mechanisms based on different concepts used for the private sector such as collaboration, reengineering or mergers and acquisitions. Moreover, this study is based on transaction cost theory and organizational changes. In addition, the analysis of performance that we propose uses a five dimension model that we were able to operationalize. The originality of the approach is linked to the use of both quantitative and qualitative analysis through a quantitative survey carried out in all Departmental Fire and Emergency Service in France, and, on the other and, a research-action led in one of them. The results of our research are numerous. The most important result is that the methodology of the implementation of shared resources mechanisms appears to be the most significant element which can create performance. Secondly, we propose a range of key success criteria of the methodology that can be used by manager in the public sector to run efficient shared-resources mechanisms.

A cadeia do açúcar tem sido um dos ícones da economia brasileira por séculos. Em meados da década de 1970, ela passou pela primeira mudança expressiva, a introdução do Proálcool, programa de combustível alternativo apoiado pelo governo. Após a recente virada do século, a cadeia sucroalcooleira passou por nova mudança, dessa vez fomentada pela tecnologia, com a introdução dos motores flex. Na mesma ocasião, algumas empresas iniciaram a comercialização de mais um importante produto, a bioeletricidade, a partir da cogeração de energia elétrica, resultante da queima do bagaço da cana no processo produtivo das usinas, anteriormente realizada para consumo próprio e agora, melhorada e ampliada, também comercializada como novo produto. Em meados da década de 2000, surgiram de forma mais expressiva diversos movimentos de aquisições, fusões e alianças estratégicas, cujos focos prioritários tem sido o mercado e a tecnologia. Tais movimentos envolvem empresas nacionais e transnacionais em diferentes segmentos: petrolíferas, petroquímicas, empresas de biotecnologia com foco no desenvolvimento de novos e processos e produtos, entre outras. Assim, emerge e se configura a cadeia sucroenergética brasileira, objeto de estudo desta pesquisa predominantemente exploratória, que reúne uma ampla base de dados e informações, incluindo entrevistas de executivos, pesquisadores e especialistas da cadeia. Os resultados indicam um fenômeno singular. Os movimentos de aquisições, fusões e alianças estratégicas estão alterando de forma rápida e drástica a configuração da cadeia sucronergética. Aquisições e fusões predominam em se tratando de crescente concentração horizontal e vertical, resultando na formação de grandes empresas ou grupos econômicos que atuam praticamente em todas as etapas da cadeia; enquanto alianças estratégicas predominam em se tratando de parcerias com ênfase em tecnologia, tendo por foco um amplo leque de potenciais inovações em processo (sendo as parcerias baseadas principalmente em contratos) ou produtos (principalmente, joint ventures). / The sugar chain has been one of the icons of the Brazilian economy for centuries. In mid 1970\'s it went through a drastic change with the introduction of \'Proalcool\', an alternative fuel (ethanol) program supported by the Brazilian Government. After the recent turn of the century, the ethanol and sugar chain went through another drastic change, this time triggered by technology, with the introduction of \'flex fuel vehicles\'. At the same time, some companies started to sell a new product: bioelectricity, as a result of the energy generated by the burning of sugar cane bagasse in the boilers; which was previously consumed internally only, but now it has been improved and increased, thus being sold as a new product. In mid 2000\'s, several acquisitions, mergers and strategic alliances started to take place in the chain, whose focus has been, primarily, market and technology. Said movements included transnational companies of different sectors, such as oil and petrochemical, also biotechnology companies focusing on new processes and/or products, among other companies. Thus, emerges the sugar, ethanol and bioenergy chain which is the object of this exploratory research. It sums up an extensive data and information base including interviews with executives, researchers and experts. The results indicate a singular phenomenon. Acquisitions, mergers and strategic alliances are changing in a fast and drastic way the configuration of the chain. However, acquisitions and mergers prevail concerning horizontal and vertical integration, resulting in large companies or economic groups which permeate most of the supply chain; while strategic alliances prevail regarding technology partnerships focusing either a broad portfolio of potential new processes (mostly through contracts i.e. non equity agreements) or new products (mostly through joint ventures).

本研究探討過度自信經理人於經濟衰退階段時之併購行為。本研究蒐集S&P1500大企業於1993年至2016年的資料，對過度自信經理人於景氣衰退階段的併購機率、宣告效果、長期股價表現進行分析。因為過度自信經理人低估景氣衰退所造成的高度不確定性，同時高估本身能夠透過併購所創造的公司價值，我們預期過度自信經理人相較非過度自信經理人更容易在景氣衰退的階段進行併購。然而實證結果過顯示過度自信經理人的併購機率於2008年金融海嘯後大幅下降，減少併購的幅度顯著高於非過度自信經理人。此結果和過去文獻一致，說明在財務資源不足的情況下，過度自信經理人會比非過度自信經理人更不願意投資。因為過度自信經理人高估自家公司權益價值，認為資本市場低估其權益價值，就算面對能為公司創造價值的投資案時也不願意向外發行股票籌資，因而導致他們在經氣衰退時較非過度自信經理人投資更保守。 / The study examines the behaviors of overconfident CEOs during recessions using firms included in S&P 1500 Index from 1993 to 2016. We propose that overconfident CEOs would undertake more M&As than non-overconfident CEOs during recessions for their biased beliefs lead them to underestimating the risk they would incur in recessions and overestimating the synergy they can create through M&As. However, we found that, during and after the 2008 Recessions, overconfident CEOs reduce significantly more in undertaking M&As than non-overconfident CEOs. The results are consistent with past literatures and suggest that decrease in financial resources caused by recession lead overconfident CEOs, who overestimate the value of their own equity and are unwilling to issue new equity, to reducing more in undertaking M&As than non-overconfident CEOs after and during recession.

Formerna för styrning och organisering av kommunal räddningstjänst har under de senaste 40 åren förändrats där sammanslagningar och förbundsbildningar har blivit ett vanligt förekommande fenomen. Fenomenet verkar härstamma från den amerikanska tillverkningsindustrin i slutet av 1800-talet och nu tycks fenomenet även kommit till den kommunala räddningstjänsten. Trenden har enligt Sveriges Kommuner och Landsting (2015) pekat mot en fortsatt utveckling av förbundsbildningar inom kommunal räddningstjänst. Det intressanta är att möjligheten att kunna bilda kommunalförbund har funnits i lag sedan 1919 men det dröjde 75 år innan sammanslagningar blev en intressant organisationsform för kommunala räddningstjänster.Uppsatsens syfte är att, med hjälp av kvalitativa intervjuer, försöka förstå samt belysa vad eller vilka orsaker som kunde varit bakomliggande beslutet att bilda ett gemensamt räddningstjänstförbund för de tre kommunerna Helsingborg, Ängelholm och Örkelljunga. Studien anses befinna sig i skärningspunkten mellan organisationsteoretiska samt beslutsteoretiska perspektiv med fokus på litteratur som kopplar samman organisationer med dess omgivning, beslutsfattande i komplexa situationer samt motiv till beslut i offentlig kontext. Den teoretiska referensramen utgår från nyinstitutionell teori, domänteori och garbage-can teori.Uppsatsen har resulterat i tre gemensamma orsaker till förbundsbildningen som tematiserats till förväntad utveckling, bättre kvalité och effektivitet samt utveckla samverkan medan två avvikande orsaker har tematiserat till förutbestämt och bryta tradition. Det som främst framkommer är att tolkningen av sammanslagningen och förbundsbildningen inom Skåne nordväst har skett på grund av en strävan efter framgång samt viljan att effektivisera verksamheten. En slutsats kan det då tolkas som att förbundsbildningen av Räddningstjänsten Skåne Nordväst har främst drivits som ett moderniseringsarbete, för att avveckla en gammal organisationsform i syfte att ersätta den med en nyare och legitimare organisationsform.Kunskapsmässigt bidrar studien till forskning som betraktar räddningstjänsten i ett större sammanhang, och specifikt utifrån ett organisationsteoretiskt perspektiv med förhoppningen att inspirera till ytterligare studier av räddningstjänsten ur ett organisationsteoretiskt perspektiv. / The formation for governance and organization of municipal rescue services have changed over the last 40 years where mergers and unions are now a common phenomenon. The phenomenon seems to be descended from the American manufacturing industry at the end of the 1900 century where the phenomenon also seems to have spread to the municipal rescue service where the trend according to the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (2015) points to a continued development of unions in municipal rescue services. The interesting thing is that the opportunity to form municipal associations has been in law since 1919 but it took 75 years before mergers became an interesting form of organization for municipal rescue services.The purpose of the essay is, with the help of qualitative interviews, to try to understand and to highlight what underlying reasons could have been to decide to form a joint Rescue Service Association within the three municipal emergency services Helsingborg, Ängelholm and Örkelljunga. The study is at the intersection of organizational theory as well as decision-making theoretical perspectives with a focus on literature that connects organizations with its environment, decision-making in complex situations and motivations for decisions in public context. The theoretical frame of reference is based on institutional theory, domain theory and garbage-can theory.The result of the essay has resulted in three common reasons for the formation of the union which has been thematized to expected development, better quality and efficiency and develop collaboration, while two deviant causes have been thematized to predetermined and breaking of tradition. The main result is the interpretation that the merger and the union formation within Skåne nordväst have taken place due to a desire for gaining success and the willingness to improve the efficiency within the organization. A conclusion can then be interpreted that the association of Civil Protection Skåne Nordväst has mainly been run as a modernization work to dismantle an old organizational form with intent to replace it with a newer and more legitimate organizational form.The study contributes knowledge to research that considers the emergency services in a broader context, and specifically from an organizational theory perspective, with the hope of inspiring further studies of rescue services from an organization theory perspective.

This study investigates the effect of monetary policy, focusing on repo rate and the expansion of QE programs, on Mergers and Acquisitions activity in publicly listed companies on the Swedish Stock Exchange. The study also investigates whether there are significant relationships between companies’ acquisition activity, their solvency or liquidity ratios. Additionally, the observed firms are categorized into industries to enable examination of differences between industries. The thesis aims at expanding the knowledge of determinant factors in explaining M&A activity on the Swedish market. To adequately determine the influencing factors on activity, 27 years of data was collected on acquiring Swedish firms from the Eikon database. In addition, data for the calculations of solvency and liquidity ratios were gathered from the same database. Data for the monetary policy variables were gathered from the Swedish Central Bank. A deductive quantitative method was used to analyze the various relationships between the studied variables. The study concluded significant correlation between monetary policy and M&A activity, company solvency and M&A activity as well as corporate liquidity and M&A activity. The correlation was negative in all cases except for quantitative easing which opens up for an interesting discussion. Observed industries gave a mixed result in terms of significant relationships but the result also indicate that pro-cyclical industries tend to be more affected by monetary policy than non-cyclicals. All of the above-mentioned relationships are further discussed from the perspective of various theories that both agree and disagree with the findings of this study. The authors believe that these results will give stakeholders a more in-depth knowledge and understanding of M&A activity and M&As in general. This study contributes knowledge to enable more sustainable business administration and management of companies.

This doctoral thesis consists of three articles: one literature overview and two empirical articles. The first article provides a literature overview about industrial diversification, corporate acquisitions and the intersection of both research areas. This thesis secondly analyzes whether conglomerates invest externally differently from focused firms. This investigation provides new insights on the question how industrial diversification influences corporate investment. It allows to draw conclusions whether internal investment is independent from external investment in diversified firms, or whether weak internal investment in conglomerates is (at least partially) offset by more efficient external investment, or even whether value-destructive internal investment is accompanied by external investment eliciting the same effects. In this case weakly managed multi-segment firms could be also identified by their behavior and success in corporate acquisitions. Third, the thesis copes with the question how conglomerates are perceived and treated as potential targets of corporate acquisitions. This analysis adds further aspects to the question whether multi-segment firms are discounted due to their organizational form. Assuming that the sum of the single segment of a diversified company is higher valued than the conglomerate as a whole, one could expect that investors should strive to acquire such companies, to dismantle them subsequently in order to create additional value by reshaping these inefficiently composed entities. However, there are also contradicting effects of lower synergies and higher integration costs compared to the acquisition of stand alone firms. New insights in these discussions allow us to draw conclusions whether a diversification discount potentially being harvested by a bust up takeover outweighs lower synergies and higher integration costs.:List of Tables … vi List of Figures … viii List of Abbreviations … ix List of Symbols … x Introduction … xiii I. Literature review … 1 1. Literature review about diversification and corporate transactions … 2 1.1. Introduction … 5 1.2. Impact of diversification … 7 1.2.1. Diversification and firm value … 8 1.2.2. Diversification and investment … 15 1.2.3. Diversification and further firm characteristics … 20 1.3. Corporate transactions … 29 1.3.1. Drivers of acquisitions … 29 1.3.2. Characteristics of acquisitions … 40 1.3.3. Impact of corporate transactions … 47 1.4. Intersection between diversification and transactions … 54 1.5. Conclusion … 56 II. Diversification and acquisitions … 74 2. Diversification and the likelihood of acquisitions … 75 2.1. Introduction … 78 2.2. Theoretical background … 81 2.2.1. Diversification and the likelihood of acquisitions … 81 2.2.2. Diversification and deal characteristics … 84 2.2.3. Diversification and deal performance … 86 2.3. Data and methodology … 87 2.4. Descriptive statistics … 91 2.5. Diversification and corporate transactions … 92 2.5.1. Diversification and transaction probability … 92 2.5.2. Diversification and deal characteristics … 95 2.5.3. Diversification and post-acquisition performance … 98 2.6. Conclusion … 100 III. Diversification and takeover likelihood … 109 3. Do acquirers of conglomerates benefit from the diversification discount? … 110 3.1. Introduction … 113 3.2. Theoretical background … 115 3.2.1. Corporate performance, diversification and takeover probability … 115 3.2.2. Entrenchment, diversification and takeover probability … 117 3.2.3. Synergies, integration costs and takeover probability … 119 3.2.4. Bid premiums and post-acquisition returns … 120 3.3. Data and methodology ... 123 3.4. Descriptive statistics … 127 3.4.1. Successful bids and diversification … 127 3.4.2. Bids and conglomerates: univariate analysis … 129 3.5. Diversification and the likelihood of being acquired … 130 3.6. Diversification and the bid premiums paid … 134 3.7. Diversification and the CAR of the acquirer … 138 3.8. Conclusion … 140

The growth of private equity, as well as consolidation trends across other industries, have produced a strong and vibrant mergers and acquisitions market. A challenge during these acquisitions is information asymmetry, which makes agreeing on the transaction price a challenge. An increasingly popular instrument to get around this problem is to use earnout contracts, which puts the difference between what the buyer is willing to pay and what the seller is willing to accept as contingent on future performance of the company. This thesis focuses on testing four different models for estimating the expected pay-out of earnout contracts. The investigated models were geometric Brownian motion, autoregressive integrated moving average, artificial neural network and a hybrid model to forecast the underlying metrics which were used with Monte Carlo methods to compute the expected pay-out of the earnout contract. Furthermore, a bankruptcy adjusted and a model using implied market volatility were evaluated. The results were that the hybrid model showed the most promising predictions when estimating the expected pay-out. The bankruptcy adjustment was not successful since the model failed to reach sufficient accuracy. Using implied market volatility showed inconclusive results. / Tillväxten för riskkapital-industrin och konsolideringstrender inom andra industrier har resulterat i en aktiv marknad för bolagsförvärv. En tydlig utmaning under ett förvärv är informationsasymmetri, vilket gör det svårt att komma överens om bolagets värdering. En alltmer vanlig metod för att lösa detta problem är att använda en tilläggsköpeskilling. Ett sådant kontrakt placerar skillnaden mellan vad köparen är villig att betala och vad säljaren är villig att acceptera som en option baserad på bolagets framtida prestation. Detta examensarbete fokuserade på att testa fyra olika modeller för att skatta den framtida utbetalningen från tilläggsköpeskillingar. De utvärderade modellerna var baserade på geometrisk brownsk rörelse, autoregressive integrated moving average, artificiellt neuralt nätverk och en hybridmodell vilka användes för att generera prediktioner för optionernas underliggande mått. Dessa användes sedan för att med hjälp av Monte Carlo simulering skatta den förväntade utbetalningen från tilläggsköpeskillingen. Utöver detta testades en modell med justering av konkursrisk samt en modell baserad på implicerad volatilitet från börsnoterade optioner. Resultaten visade att hybridmodellen gav bäst prediktioner av den förväntade utbetalningen. Den konkursjusterade modellen påvisade inga signifikanta resultat då den ej nådde tillräckligt hög prediktionsförmåga. Användningen av implicerad marknadsvolatilitet gav ingen tydlig och statistiskt signifikant förbättring.

Nichtstationarität ist eines der häufigsten, jedoch nach wie vor ungelösten Probleme in der Zeitreihenanalyse und ein immer wiederkehrendes Phänomen, sowohl in theoretischen als auch in angewandten Arbeiten. Die jüngsten Fortschritte in der ökonometrischen Theorie und in Methoden des maschinellen Lernens haben es Forschern ermöglicht, neue Ansätze für empirische Analysen zu entwickeln, von denen einige in dieser Arbeit erörtert werden sollen. Kapitel 3 befasst sich mit der Vorhersage von Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A). Obwohl es keinen Zweifel daran gibt, dass M&A-Aktivitäten im Unternehmenssektor wellenartigen Mustern folgen, gibt es keine einheitlich akzeptierte Definition einer solchen "Mergerwelle" im Zeitreihenkontext. Zur Messung der Fusions- und Übernahmetätigkeit werden häufig Zeitreihenmodelle mit Zähldaten verwendet und Mergerwellen werden dann als Cluster von Zeiträumen mit einer ungewöhnlich hohen Anzahl von solchen Mergers & Acqusitions im Nachhinein definiert. Die Verteilung der Abschlüsse ist jedoch in der Regel nicht normal (von Gaußscher Natur). In jüngster Zeit wurden verschiedene Ansätze vorgeschlagen, die den zeitlich variablen Charakter der M&A-Aktivitäten berücksichtigen, aber immer noch eine a-priori-Auswahl der Parameter erfordern. Wir schlagen vor, die Kombination aus einem lokalem parametrischem Ansatz und Multiplikator-Bootstrap an einen Zähldatenkontext anzupassen, um lokal homogene Intervalle in den Zeitreihen der M&A-Aktivität zu identifizieren. Dies macht eine manuelle Parameterauswahl überflüssig und ermöglicht die Erstellung genauer Prognosen ohne manuelle Eingaben. Kapitel 4 ist eine empirische Studie über Sprünge in Hochfrequenzmärkten für Kryptowährungen. Während Aufmerksamkeit ein Prädiktor für die Preise von Kryptowährungenn ist und Sprünge in Bitcoin-Preisen bekannt sind, wissen wir wenig über ihre Alternativen. Die Untersuchung von hochfrequenten Krypto-Ticks gibt uns die einzigartige Möglichkeit zu bestätigen, dass marktübergreifende Renditen von Kryptowährungenn durch Sprünge in Hochfrequenzdaten getrieben werden, die sich um Black-Swan-Ereignisse gruppieren und den saisonalen Schwankungen von Volatilität und Handelsvolumen ähneln. Regressionen zeigen, dass Sprünge innerhalb des Tages die Renditen am Ende des Tages in Größe und Richtung erheblich beeinflussen. Dies liefert grundlegende Forschungsergebnisse für Krypto-Optionspreismodelle und eröffnet Möglichkeiten, die ökonometrische Theorie weiterzuentwickeln, um die spezifische Marktmikrostruktur von Kryptowährungen besser zu berücksichtigen. In Kapitel 5 wird die zunehmende Verbreitung von Kryptowährungen (Digital Assets / DAs) wie Bitcoin (BTC) erörtert, die den Bedarf an genauen Optionspreismodellen erhöht. Bestehende Methoden werden jedoch der Volatilität der aufkommenden DAs nicht gerecht. Es wurden viele Modelle vorgeschlagen, um der unorthodoxen Marktdynamik und den häufigen Störungen in der Mikrostruktur zu begegnen, die durch die Nicht-Stationarität und die besonderen Statistiken der DA-Märkte verursacht werden. Sie sind jedoch entweder anfällig für den Fluch der Dimensionalität, da zusätzliche Komplexität erforderlich ist, um traditionelle Theorien anzuwenden, oder sie passen sich zu sehr an historische Muster an, die sich möglicherweise nie wiederholen. Stattdessen nutzen wir die jüngsten Fortschritte beim Clustering von Marktregimen (MR) mit dem Implied Stochastic Volatility Model (ISVM) auf einem sehr aktuellen Datensatz, der BTC-Optionen auf der beliebten Handelsplattform Deribit abdeckt. Time-Regime Clustering ist eine temporale Clustering-Methode, die die historische Entwicklung eines Marktes in verschiedene Volatilitätsperioden unter Berücksichtigung der Nicht-Stationarität gruppiert. ISVM kann die Erwartungen der Anleger in jeder der stimmungsgesteuerten Perioden berücksichtigen, indem es implizite Volatilitätsdaten (IV) verwendet. In diesem Kapitel wenden wir diese integrierte Zeitregime-Clustering- und ISVM-Methode (MR-ISVM) auf Hochfrequenzdaten für BTC-Optionen an. Wir zeigen, dass MR-ISVM dazu beiträgt, die Schwierigkeiten durch die komplexe Anpassung an Sprünge in den Merkmalen höherer Ordnung von Optionspreismodellen zu überwinden. Dies ermöglicht es uns, den Markt auf der Grundlage der Erwartungen seiner Teilnehmer auf adaptive Weise zu bewerten und das Verfahren auf einen neuen Datensatz anzuwenden, der bisher unerforschte DA-Dynamiken umfasst. / Nonstationarity is one of the most prevalent, yet unsolved problems in time series analysis and a reoccuring phenomenon both in theoretical, and applied works. Recent advances in econometric theory and machine learning methods have allowed researchers to adpot and develop new approaches for empirical analyses, some of which will be discussed in this thesis. Chapter 3 is about predicting merger & acquisition (M&A) events. While there is no doubt that M&A activity in the corporate sector follows wave-like patterns, there is no uniquely accepted definition of such a "merger wave" in a time series context. Count-data time series models are often employed to measure M&A activity and merger waves are then defined as clusters of periods with an unusually high number of M&A deals retrospectively. However, the distribution of deals is usually not normal (Gaussian). More recently, different approaches that take into account the time-varying nature of M&A activity have been proposed, but still require the a-priori selection of parameters. We propose adapating the combination of the Local Parametric Approach and Multiplier Bootstrap to a count data setup in order to identify locally homogeneous intervals in the time series of M&A activity. This eliminates the need for manual parameter selection and allows for the generation of accurate forecasts without any manual input. Chapter 4 is an empirical study on jumps in high frequency digital asset markets. While attention is a predictor for digital asset prices, and jumps in Bitcoin prices are well-known, we know little about its alternatives. Studying high frequency crypto ticks gives us the unique possibility to confirm that cross market digital asset returns are driven by high frequency jumps clustered around black swan events, resembling volatility and trading volume seasonalities. Regressions show that intra-day jumps significantly influence end of day returns in size and direction. This provides fundamental research for crypto option pricing models and opens up possibilities to evolve econometric theory to better address the specific market microstructure of cryptos. Chapter 5 discusses the increasing adoption of Digital Assets (DAs), such as Bitcoin (BTC), which raises the need for accurate option pricing models. Yet, existing methodologies fail to cope with the volatile nature of the emerging DAs. Many models have been proposed to address the unorthodox market dynamics and frequent disruptions in the microstructure caused by the non-stationarity, and peculiar statistics, in DA markets. However, they are either prone to the curse of dimensionality, as additional complexity is required to employ traditional theories, or they overfit historical patterns that may never repeat. Instead, we leverage recent advances in market regime (MR) clustering with the Implied Stochastic Volatility Model (ISVM) on a very recent dataset covering BTC options on the popular trading platform Deribit. Time-regime clustering is a temporal clustering method, that clusters the historic evolution of a market into different volatility periods accounting for non-stationarity. ISVM can incorporate investor expectations in each of the sentiment-driven periods by using implied volatility (IV) data. In this paper, we apply this integrated time-regime clustering and ISVM method (termed MR-ISVM) to high-frequency data on BTC options. We demonstrate that MR-ISVM contributes to overcome the burden of complex adaption to jumps in higher order characteristics of option pricing models. This allows us to price the market based on the expectations of its participants in an adaptive fashion and put the procedure to action on a new dataset covering previously unexplored DA dynamics.

"Mémoire présenté à la Faculté des études supérieures en vue de l'obtention du grade de Maître en Droit (LL.M) Option Droit des Affaires" / Dans une perspective pratique et axée sur le droit transactionnel, l'auteur dresse un portrait global du régime juridique s'appliquant aux actionnaires minoritaires de sociétés par actions publiques canadiennes. Pour ce faire, il aborde, dans un premier temps, les divers mécanismes transactionnels utilisés par les sociétés désirant procéder à une opération de changement de contrôle. Dans un deuxième temps, il enchaîne en expliquant les enjeux entourant la protection des actionnaires minoritaires pour, par la suite, décrire les obligations afférentes au Règlement Q-27. Finalement, il propose une analyse du traitement des porteurs minoritaires à la lumière, d'une part, de la gouvernance d'entreprise et, d'autre part, de l'activisme des investisseurs institutionnels. / In a practical perspective based on transactionallaw, the author shows a global portrait of the legal regime applicable ta minority shareholders of Canadian publicly listed corporations. Firstly, he tackles the various transactional mechanisms used by corporations that want ta proceed ta a change of control operation. Secondly, he continues by explaining the issues surrounding the protection of minority shareholders. Then, he describes the obligations related ta Rule Q-27. Finally, he proposes an analysis of minority shareholders treatment in light of, on one hand, corporate governance and, on the other hand, institutional investors activism.

Uma combinação de empresas ocorre quando duas ou mais empresas distintas se unem de uma única vez para formar uma nova entidade contábil. Dois métodos de contabilização das combinações de empresas são geralmente aceitos no mercado internacional - o Método de União de Participações (Pooling of Interests) e o Método de Compra (Purchase Method). Mas esses dois métodos não devem ser vistos como alternativas contábeis para uma mesma combinação. Para se determinar qual dos dois métodos deve ser utilizado em uma combinação é necessário que se analise a natureza da transação, se ela é uma compra ou uma união de interesses. Sob o Método de União de Participações (Pooling of Interests), os ativos e passivos das empresas combinantes são combinados na nova entidade pelos seus valores históricos. Pelo Método de Compra (Purchase Method), os ativos e passivos da empresa adquirida são combinados pelo fair value na nova entidade. Além desses métodos, mais dois métodos são usados, mas de forma menos freqüente - o Método Fresh-Start e o Método Push-Down Accounting. Pelo Método Fresh-Start, os ativos e passivos das empresas combinantes são combinados pelo fair value. Pelo Método Push-Down Accounting, os ativos e passivos da empresa adquirida são avaliados e contabilizados pelo fair value em sua contabilidade, para em seguida serem combinados na nova entidade. Este estudo tem por objetivo principal explorar os métodos utilizados no mercado internacional e principalmente norte-americano, a fim de combinar as Demonstrações Contábeis de empresas fusionadas ou incorporadas, e aplicar os métodos de União de Participações, de Compra e o Push-Down Accounting em um único caso hipotético, para se conhecer os seus reflexos nas Demonstrações Contábeis da entidade combinada. Na comparação aplicada dos três métodos, o Push-Down Accounting revelou-se como uma variante do Método de Compra (Purchase Method). O Método de União de Participações (Pooling of Interests) sugere uma completa comunhão dos interesses das empresas combinantes sem o reconhecimento de qualquer aumento da potencialidade de geração de benefícios futuros. Já o Método de Compra se assemelha a uma simples transação de compra que reconhece de forma objetiva, na data da combinação, o potencial mínimo de geração de benefícios futuros da empresa adquirida para a entidade combinada. / A business combination occurs when two or more companies merge at one single time to form a new accounting entity. Two accounting methods for business combinations are generally accepted in the international market - the Pooling of Interests Method and the Purchase Method. But these two methods should not be considered as accounting alternatives for the same combination. To determine which of the two methods should be used in a business combination the nature of the transaction should be analyzed, that is, whether it is a purchase or a pooling of interests.On the one hand, in accordance with the Pooling of Interests Method, the assets and liabilities of the combining companies are combined in the new entity making use of their historical value. In accordance with the Purchase Method, on the other hand, the purchased company\'s assets and liabilities are combined in the new entity making use of their fair value.Apart from these two methods, two other methods are used, even though less frequently - the Fresh-Start Method and the Push-Down Accounting Method. In accordance with the Fresh-Start Method, the combining companies\' assets and liabilities are combined making use of their fair value. In accordance with the Push-Down Accounting Method, the purchased company\'s assets and liabilities are first re-evaluated by its accounting making use of their fair value, in order to be subsequently combined in the new entity.The main objective of this study is an exploration of the methods used in the international and mainly North-American markets for combining the Financial Statements of merged or acquired companies, and an application of the Pooling of Interests, Purchase and Push-Down Accounting Methods to one single hypothetical case, in order to know its effects on the Combined Financial Statements. In the comparison of the three methods, the Push-Down Accounting Method proved to be a variant of the Purchase Method. The Pooling of Interests Method suggests a complete pooling of the combining companies\' interests, without recognizing any increase in the potential for generating future benefits. The Purchase Method in turn is similar to a simple purchase transaction which objectively recognizes, at the combination date, the minimum potential of the purchased company for generating future benefits for the combined entity.