Advancing Post-Merger Integration Through Organizational Learning

Abstract

Prior studies shows that companies often fail to meet their strategic and operational objectives following a merger and acquisition process due to poor integration. While research indicates that prior experience and the deliberate learning plays an important role to manage the complexities of post-merger integration effectively, more understanding and knowledge on how organizations can identify and apply these mechanisms is needed. This in-depth exploratory case study focuses on how organizations with prior merger and acquisition experience can develop and exploit deliberate learning mechanisms to successfully manage post-merger integration. The findings uncovered six mechanisms that contributes to deliberate learning within an organization. These mechanisms are discussed and interpreted into six propositions with the aim to guide post-merger integration research and practice.