Firm performance and the strategic components of bankruptcy reorganization plans

Abstract

We investigate the influence of bankruptcy reorganization plans on the recovery of distressed firms. Using qualitative comparative analysis (QCA), specifically, we perform an in-depth investigation of a set of reorganization plans submitted by publicly traded companies in Brazil. We find that the improvement in firm performance is positively related to a good diagnosis of the factors causing the crisis, a clear definition of the firm’s resources, and a clear identification of the firm’s competitive strengths. We also find that the absence of a good industry analysis is a critical condition for a reorganization plan to fail. However, the explicit mentioning of the firm’s relevant market is negatively associated with the company’s uplifting in crisis. We discuss the theoretical and managerial implications of these findings.