Governing and managing enterprise systems integration in corporate M&A

Corporate mergers and acquisitions (M&A) have established themselves as prominent tools for corporate strategy. Consequently more and more organizations direct their attention towards the potential benefits of an M&A and the problems of leveraging these potentials. Governing and managing enterprise systems (ES) integration in M&A means understanding how ES integration relates to the M&A context and act upon the environmental pressure on the integration solution. We present a six dimensional framework for ES integration in corporate M&A by integrating previous research on M&A and ES integration. We also present and discuss the ES integration in a corporate M&A: The Trelleborg AB’s acquisition of CMP/Kléber Industrie. Trough the combination of the framework’s dimensions, the dynamics of different parts of the M&A process is captured. We suggest that the framework may be used in further research to build cumulative knowledge about how to govern and manage ES integration in M&A. We also suggest that the framework can be used by firms in their acquisitions as it shows, through the combination of dimensions, ES integration issues, decisions, and actions a firm has to consider in acquisition processes

TAKING STOCK AND LOOKING FORWARD: A SCIENTOMETRIC ANALYSIS OF IS/IT INTEGRATION CHALLENGES IN MERGERS

The last decade has seen a rise in research on the topic of challenges associated with information systems (IS) in corporate mergers and acquisitions (M&As). Although this proliferation of research has the potential to significantly improve our understanding of IS challenges in M&A activity, absent is the necessary step of consolidating and integrating extant knowledge. In this paper, we review the domain of IS integration in M&As with focus on the theory building in the area. We identify and analyse 48 articles, published in 13 journals and 5 conference proceedings based on their theoretical contribution. Based on the analysis we point out gaps in the literature and suggest directions for future research

An introspection for the field of IS integration challenges in M&A

The last decade has seen a rise in research on the topic of challenges associated with information systems (IS) in corporate mergers and acquisitions (M&As). Although this proliferation of research has the potential to significantly improve our understanding of IS challenges in M&A activity, absent is the necessary step of consolidating and integrating extant knowledge. In this paper, we review the domain of IS integration in M&As with focus on what have been studied and how it has been studied. By reviewing 37 articles, published in 13 journals, 5 conference proceedings this paper identifies patterns and gaps, and provides directions for future research

Technological-Integration Challenges – The Case of Digital-Technology Companies

This research examines the technology-related integration challenges to acquisitions in digital industries and how these challenges can be managed. Historically, companies seeking to increase markets, products or customers have utilized the strategic growth process of mergers and acquisitions. Their motivation was primarily to utilize economies of scale and operational synergies to integrate acquisition targets that were similar in product, market, and customer demographics. The aim of these acquisitions was to scale the acquisition products to its own markets and customers while potentially gaining new markets and customers in the process. For companies in the digital-technology industry, the path to growth in these fast-paced markets is through the acquisition of innovation-based technologies from new and emerging companies to complement their current R&D strategies. The incumbent enterprises look for emerging technology companies as acquisition targets in order to stay ahead of the increasingly fast technology-development lifecycle. The acquisition and integration process for these types of companies present challenges to practitioners that are very different from what has been experienced in the past and will present new research opportunities for scholars researching the related domains