Seminar paper from the year 2017 in the subject Business economics - Miscellaneous, grade: 1,7, University of Augsburg, language: English, abstract: As the number of international mergers and acquisitions (M&As) increased formidable during the last decades, it is a highly discussed phenomenon, which is becoming more and more important (Erel et al., 2012). Nearly 30 years ago, in 1987, there have been merely 5.000 M&As worldwide, whereas in 2016 already 50.000 M&As were concluded and latest stats even predict increasing numbers of M&As. M&A experience might both harm and help post-merger performance in international acquisitions. As stated by Schoenberg (2000) national cultural differences mainly present a strong challenge for cross-border acquisitions. Since the initial financial expectations are met simply by one half of all M&As, cultural differences might be at fault for this high failure rate (Zollo and Meier, 2008). Given that cross-border M&As consolidate two or more different cultures, it has to be taken into consideration that incidents such as differing legislations, currencies, languages and cultural norms do play an essential role. As a result of those distinctions, costs to the integration process might occur and the capability of firms to achieve synergies might be subverted. Thereby, the expected economic advantages of the merger or acquisition will be affected, too. Key factors like the integration of the participating companies in each other and enormous adaptation operations are irrecoverable to accomplish synergies and advantages of M&As. The hypothesis whether national cultural differences between acquirers and targets are likely to undermine post-merger performance has been researched myriad. An appropriate classification reclines in whether cultural differences matter, when they matter, under what conditions and in which way they do. The elaboration of this paper is based on the theory of Hofstede (1980), who was one of the first to explicitly address the impact of culture on the integration process of M&As by explaining cultural differences might generate misunderstandings and conflicts between the two merging organisations. Hence the aim of our analysis is to dissect the impact of cultural differences on the post-merger performance in international acquisitions by focussing on two out of four dimensions of Hofstede (1980) by means of the works of Ahern et al. (2009) and Huang et al. (2017).

Focuses on the studies of the advances in mergers and acquisitions from scholars in different countries, with different research questions, relying on different theoretical perspectives. This title helps scholars think about mergers and acquisitions in different ways.

Finally! A comprehensive volume on the management of corporate acquisitions that summarizes contemporary research, and that moves what we know about acquisition management a step further. The book encompasses innovative works from several countries, related to a variety of issues; managerial motives, the role of acquisitions in competitive strategy, as well as organizational and political processes. Unlike several other works on acquisitions, this book emphasizes the most critical issue faced by managers today; how to manage successfully already acquired companies and operations. Both researchers, managers and students of strategy and organization will find this book an important supplement.

A leadership blueprint for managing cross-cultural issues in any M&A deal In our rapidly expanding and increasingly volatile global economy, mergers and acquisitions are becoming the strategy of choice for businesses seeking to stimulate growth while managing risk. As more and more M&A deals are struck between global organizations, difficult new issues involving cultural differences have arisen. In The Global M&A Tango, international management experts Fons Trompenaars and Maarten Nijhoff Asser explain how to detect and manage these issues before they become major problems. Drawing on the world-renowned Trompenaars Hampden-Turner Cross-Cultural Database and Culture Compass, the authors illustrate how widely cultures can differ and, by reconciling the dilemmas created by that difference, how they can be integrated quickly, efficiently, and effectively. The Global M&A Tango helps you meet all the challenges of cross-national M&A by: Creating common mission, vision, strategy, and values Developing trust across value boundaries Enabling people with different cultural perspectives to engage in valuable discussions Change-management programs all too often ignore the culture perspectives of the individuals and groups involved--and it's often why organizations fail to realize the benefits that prompted the integration in the first place. With The Global M&A Tango, you have everything you need to integrate two old entities into a powerful new organization poised for dramatic growth in the coming decades.

Leverage today's most complete and practical framework for driving superior business value from mergers and acquisitions -- both domestic and international. A Comprehensive Guide to Mergers and Acquisitions Management focuses on critical success factors across every stage of the process, including planning, screening, negotiation, due diligence, transition management structures, post-merger integration, leadership and trust, cultural integration, HR practices, control, monitoring, and more. Authored by Yaakov Weber, an international expert in M&A management, strategic alliances, and strategic management, this book's uniquely interdisciplinary approach fully addresses both operational and cultural requirements, supporting participants in every role. Replete with recent examples and cases, it pays special attention to crucial strategic and behavioral linkages between pre- and post-merger stages, explaining why they are so important and how they can be managed to create maximum value. Throughout, Weber provides practical tools, tables, and figures that can help M&A implementers ensure best performance and achieve success where others have failed. As just one example, he provides proven instruments for analyzing cultural differences and the potential for synergy, and translating that potential into reality. For multiple audiences, including board members and top executives who must evaluate the strategic and financial issues associated with M&A; investment bankers, VCs, and other investors who must screen and select acquisitions; managers who must execute business combinations; consultants in strategy, HR, culture, and other areas; and faculty and students in executive education, MBA, and BA-level business programs.

The growth in mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity around the world masks a high rate of failure. M&A can provide companies with many benefits, but in the optimism and excitement of the deal many of the challenges are often overlooked. This comprehensive collection, bringing together an international team of contributors, moves beyond the theory to focus on the practical elements of mergers and acquisitions. This hands-on, step-by-step volume provides strategies, frameworks, guidelines, and ample examples for managing and optimizing M&A performance, including: ways to analyze different types of synergy; understanding and analyzing cultural difference along corporate and national cultural dimensions, using measurement tools; using negotiation, due diligence, and planning to analyze the above factors; making use of this data during negotiation, screening, planning, agreement, and when deciding on post-merger integration approaches. Students, researchers, and managers will find this text a vital resource when it comes to understanding this key facet of the international business world.

Global leadership is an emerging field that seeks to understand and explain the impact of globalization processes on leadership. This is the first book to review the theoretical, empirical and conceptual literature on this important subject, and to analyze what this body of knowledge means for managers who lead in a global business context. Accessible to both student and practitioner alike, it explains how changes in the global context have created a demand for a distinctive set of qualities for effective leaders. This volume defines the skill set that global organizations are now looking for, highlighting the need to establish communities across diverse groups of stakeholders and initiate change as key aspects of global leadership. It also presents a critical analysis of the training and development of global leaders of the future. Global Leadership provides an important overview of a key emerging area within business and management. It is essential reading for students of leadership, organizational theory, strategic management, human resource management, and for anyone working and managing in the global arena.