Product details

By continuing to use our site you consent to the use of cookies as described in our privacy policy unless you have disabled them.
You can change your cookie settings at any time but parts of our site will not function correctly without them.
Management article
-
Reference no. U0503C
Published by: Harvard Business Publishing
Published in: "Harvard Management Update", 2005
Length: 5 pages

Abstract

In mergers, the unexpected comes in many forms, from the small breakdowns that happen with almost any acquisition to radical shifts in the competitive bedrock on which the deal was built. Problems with the former tend to fall into three areas: organization upheavals, customer service blunders, and operational dysfunction. They demand serious, focused intervention, but they don''t threaten to break the deal. Problems with the latter may reflect faulty due diligence or changing markets; they call for more radical transformations. But whether problems are manageable or cataclysmic, successful acquirers have strong early-warning systems in place to identify them, and they respond to even the faintest distress signals without delay. Their approach can provide a valuable model for any company considering - or surviving - a merger.

About

Abstract

In mergers, the unexpected comes in many forms, from the small breakdowns that happen with almost any acquisition to radical shifts in the competitive bedrock on which the deal was built. Problems with the former tend to fall into three areas: organization upheavals, customer service blunders, and operational dysfunction. They demand serious, focused intervention, but they don''t threaten to break the deal. Problems with the latter may reflect faulty due diligence or changing markets; they call for more radical transformations. But whether problems are manageable or cataclysmic, successful acquirers have strong early-warning systems in place to identify them, and they respond to even the faintest distress signals without delay. Their approach can provide a valuable model for any company considering - or surviving - a merger.

Related