Perceptions of organizational ideology following merger: A longitudinal study of merging

A 30-month longitudinal study of organizational ideology in two merging public accounting firms and one control firm (not involved in a merger) was undertaken using qualitative and quantitative methods. The study found support for a four-phase model of the merger process, initially involving a period of shock and retreat, but then followed by rapid adaptation and change. This was in contrast to the control firm, which appeared to react to the prevailing economic environment. Results highlighted the need to take account of human and cultural factors in mergers, and for management to take a proactive approach to reintegration following mergers.

[1]  James L. Bowditch,et al.  When Cultures Collide: The Anatomy of a Merger , 1985 .

[2]  A. Malekzadeh,et al.  Making Mergers Work by Managing Cultures , 1990 .

[3]  T. Cook,et al.  Quasi-experimentation: Design & analysis issues for field settings , 1979 .

[4]  James P. Walsh,et al.  Mergers, acquisitions, and the pruning of managerial deadwood , 1991 .

[5]  P. D. Hall,et al.  Successful Acquisitions and the Role of Management , 1989 .

[6]  T. Jick.  Mixing Qualitative and Quantitative Methods: Triangulation in Action. , 1979 .

[7]  G. Hofstede.  Cultural constraints in management theories , 1993 .

[8]  C. Cooper,et al.  The role of culture compatibility in successful organizational marriage , 1993 .

[9]  S. Kemmis,et al.  Becoming Critical: Education Knowledge and Action Research , 1986 .

[10]  W. Whyte,et al.  Participatory Action Research , 1989 .

[11]  Jeremy F. Dent.  Accounting and organizational cultures: A field study of the emergence of a new organizational reality , 1991 .

[12]  C. Gersick.  Time and Transition in Work Teams: Toward a New Model of Group Development , 1988 .

[13]  H. Schreuder,et al.  The interaction between national and organizational cultures in accounting firms , 1988 .

[14]  M. Lubatkin,et al.  CULTURAL DIFFERENCES AND SHAREHOLDER VALUE IN RELATED MERGERS: LINKING EQUITY AND HUMAN CAPITAL , 1992 .

[15]  Jamie Pratt,et al.  Organizational culture in public accounting: Size, technology, rank, and functional area , 1992 .

[16]  A. Denisi,et al.  Communication with Employees Following a Merger: A Longitudinal Field Experiment , 1991 .

[17]  Cary L. Cooper,et al.  Mergers and Acquisitions: The Human Factor , 1992 .

[18]  Jennifer A. Chatman.  Matching People and Organizations: Selection and Socialization in Public Accounting Firms , 1989 .

[19]  Nancy K. Napier,et al.  Mergers and Acquisitions, Human Resource Issues and Outcomes: A Review and Suggested Typology* , 1989 .

[20]  Ali R. Malekzadeh,et al.  Acculturation in Mergers and Acquisitions , 1988 .