Review of economic and business literature on private equity in Europe -- Development of a theoretical framework on private equity investment cycles -- Analysis of factors driving private equity investment activity on aggregate and industry level -- Analysis of the performance implications of investment cycles -- Practical implications, summary and conclusion.

Private equity experienced dramatic fluctuations in investment activity in line with the turbulences of financial markets in recent years. Claudia Sommer develops a theoretical framework of factors driving private equity investment activity and the resulting performance implications. Using a data set of more than 40,000 European transactions, she applies a variety of econometrical approaches and shows how neoclassical aspects, information asymmetries, agency conflicts, and market timing contribute to the dynamics in the private equity market. In a performance analysis of more than 1,300 European funds she reveals the resulting performance implications.