Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

A New Research Agenda for Managing Socio-Cultural Integration

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Socio-Cultural Integration in Mergers and Acquisitions

  • 774 Accesses

Abstract

Post-acquisition socio-cultural integration has received increasing attention from both scholars and practitioners since the early 1990s. During the past decade, research has increasingly focused on emotions and identity in mergers and acquisitions. This chapter introduces the reader to the vibrant research field and its relevance. This section sets the scene for the book, which provides a deeper understanding of how emotions—both positive and negative—as well as values and identity enable a deeper socio-cultural integration after a merger or acquisition, and how leadership plays a crucial role in making it all happen. This chapter also highlights how the Nordic approach to post-acquisition socio-cultural integration refers to a large community of Nordic academics focusing on the softer social and human side of acquisition, often relying on a huge variety of qualitative methods, and to Nordic companies that are not afraid of adopting a more collaborative approach to post-acquisition integration.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 44.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 59.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Notes

  1. 1.

    Although M&As are commonly used interchangeably in the literature, mergers remain a minority of the deals. Additionally, in terms of culture , the basis for integration is completely different. A merger is also sometimes used to refer to the integration process . In this paper, following the convention in M&A literature, we use the more generic concept of M&A to refer to acquisitions . Merger syndrome is a specific condition explained in the text and is related to post-acquisition integration.

References

  • Ager, D. L. (2011). The Emotional Impact and Behavioral Consequences of Post-M&A Integration: An Ethnographic Case Study in the Software Industry. Journal of Contemporary Ethnography, 40(2), 199–230.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ailon-Souday, G., & Kunda, G. (2003). The Local Selves of Global Workers: The Social Construction of National Identity in the Face of Organizational Globalization. Organization Studies, 24(7), 1073–1096.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Alvesson, M., & Sandkull, B. (1988). The Organizational Melting-Pot: An Arena for Different Cultures. Scandinavian Journal of Management, 4(3–4), 135–145.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Andersson, H., Havila, V., & Salmi, A. (2001). Can You Buy a Business Relationship? On the Importance of Customer and Supplier Relationships in Acquisitions. Industrial Marketing Management, 30(7), 575–586.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Angwin, D. (2012). Merger and Acquisition Typologies: A Review. In D. Faulkner, S. Teerikangas, & R. J. Joseph (Eds.), The Handbook of Mergers and Acquisitions (pp. 40–70). Oxford University Press.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Angwin, D. N., & Meadows, M. (2015). New Integration Strategies for Post-acquisition Management. Long Range Planning, 48(4), 1–17.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ashkanasy, N. M., & Daus, C. S. (2002). Emotion in the Workplace: The New Challenge for Managers. Academy of Management Perspectives, 16(1), 76–86.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barsade, S. G. (2002). The Ripple Effect: Emotional Contagion and Its Influence on Group Behavior. Administrative Science Quarterly, 47(4), 644–675.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bauer, F., King, D., & Matzler, K. (2016). Speed of Acquisition Integration: Separating the Role of Human and Task Integration. Scandinavian Journal of Management, 32(3), 150–165.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Birkinshaw, J., Bresman, H., & Håkanson, L. (2000). Managing the Post-acquisition Integration Process: How the Human Integration and Task Integration Processes Interact to Foster Value Creation. Journal of Management Studies, 37(3), 395–423.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Buono, A. F., & Bowditch, J. L. (1989). The Human Side of Mergers and Acquisitions. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cartwright, S., & Cooper, C. L. (1993). The Role of Culture Compatibility in Successful Organizational Marriage. Academy of Management Executive, 7(2), 57–70.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cartwright, S., & Schoenberg, R. (2006). Thirty Years of Mergers and Acquisitions Research: Recent Advancement and Future Opportunities. British Journal of Management, 17(S1), S1–S5.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cartwright, S., Teerikangas, S., Rouzies, A., & Wilson-Evered, E. (2012). Methods in M&A—A Look at the Past and the Future to Forge a Path Forward. Scandinavian Journal of Management, 28(2), 95–106.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Degbey, W. Y. (2015). Customer Retention. A Source of Value for Serial Acquirers. Industrial Marketing Management, 46(April), 11–23.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Diefendorff, J. M., & Gosserand, R. H. (2003). Understanding the Emotional Labor Process: A Control Theory Perspective. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 24(8), 945–959.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Donaldson, T. (1996, September–October). Values in Tension: Ethics Away from Home. Harvard Business Review, 74(5), 48–62.

    Google Scholar 

  • Elizur, D., Borg, I., Hunt, R., & Magyari Beck, I. (1991). The Structure of Work Values: A Cross Cultural Comparison. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 12(1), 21–38.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Forsgren, M., Holm, U., & Johanson, J. (2005). Managing the Embedded Multinational. Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Gomes, E., Angwin, D. N., Weber, Y., & Tarba, S. Y. (2013). Critical Success Factors Through the Mergers and Acquisition Process: Revealing Pre- and Post-M&A Connections for Improved Performance. Thunderbird International Business Review, 55(1), 13–35.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gooty, J., Connelly, S., Griffith, J., & Gupta, A. (2010). Leadership, Affect, and Emotions: A State of the Science Review. The Leadership Quarterly, 21(6), 979–1004.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Graebner, M., Heimeriks, K., Huy, Q., & Vaara, E. (2017). The Process of Post-merger Integration: A Review and Agenda for Future Research. Academy of Management Annals, 11(1), 1–32.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gunkel, M., Schlaegel, C., Rossteutscher, T., & Wolff, B. (2015). The Human Aspect of Cross-border Acquisition Outcomes: The Role of Management Practices, Employee Emotions, and National Culture. International Business Review, 24(3), 394–408.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harikkala-Laihinen, R., Hassett, M., Nummela, N., & Raitis, J. (2018). Dialogue as a Source of Positive Emotions During Cross-Border Post-Acquisition Socio-Cultural Integration. Cross Cultural and Strategic Management, 25(1), 183–208.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Haspeslagh, P. C., & Jemison, D. B. (1991). Managing Acquisitions—Creating Value Through Corporate Renewal. New York: The Free Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hassett, M., Reynolds, S.-N., & Sandberg, B. (2018). The Emotions of Top Managers and Key Persons in Cross-Border M&As: Evidence from a Longitudinal Case Study. International Business Review. In press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Havila, V., & Salmi, A. (2000). Speed of Change in Business Networks: An Empirical Study of Mergers and Acquisitions in the Graphic Industry. Journal of Strategic Marketing, 8(2), 105–119.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hurmerinta-Peltomäki, L., & Nummela, N. (2006). Mixed Methods in International Business: A Value-Added Perspective. Management International Review, 46(4), 1–21.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Huy, Q. N. (2012). Emotions in Strategic Organization: Opportunities for Impactful Research. Strategic Organization, 10(3), 240–247.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Junni, P., & Sarala, R. M. (2014). The Role of Leadership in Mergers and Acquisitions: A Review of Recent Empirical Studies. In S. Finkelstein & C. L. Cooper (Eds.), Advances in Mergers and Acquisitions (Vol. 13, pp. 181–200). Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Kaplan, S., Cortina, J., Ruark, G., LaPort, K., & Nicolaides, V. (2014). The Role of Organizational Leaders in Employee Emotion Management: A Theoretical Model. The Leadership Quarterly, 25(3), 563–580.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kiefer, T. (2002). Understanding the Emotional Experience of Organizational Change: Evidence from a Merger. Advances in Developing Human Resources, 4(1), 39–61.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kusstatscher, V. (2006). Cultivating Positive Emotions in Mergers and Acquisitions. In C. L. Cooper & S. Finkelstein (Eds.), Advances in Mergers and Acquisitions (Vol. 5, pp. 91–103). Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kusstatscher, V., & Cooper, C. L. (2005). Managing Emotions in Mergers and Acquisitions. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Larsson, R., & Lubatkin, M. (2001). Achieving Acculturation in Mergers and Acquisitions: An International Case Survey. Human Relations, 54(12), 1573–1607.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marks, M. L., & Mirvis, P. H. (1997). Revisiting the Merger Syndrome: Dealing With Stress. Mergers and Acquisitions, 31(6), 21–27.

    Google Scholar 

  • Meglio, O., King, D. R., & Risberg, A. (2017). Speed in Acquisitions: A Managerial Framework. Business Horizons, 60(3), 415–425.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Meglio, O., & Risberg, A. (2011). The (Mis)measurement of M&A Performance—A Systematic Narrative Literature Review. Scandinavian Journal of Management, 27(4), 418–433.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nahavandi, A., & Malekzadeh, A. R. (1988). Acculturation in Mergers and Acquisitions. Academy of Management Review, 13(1), 79–90.

    Google Scholar 

  • Napier, N. K. (1989). Mergers and Acquisitions, Human Resource Issues and Outcomes: A Review and Suggested Typology. Journal of Management Studies, 26(3), 271–289.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Öberg, C. (2014). Customer Relationship Challenges Following International Acquisitions. International Marketing Review, 31(3), 259–282.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Raitis, J., Harikkala-Laihinen, R., Hassett, M., & Nummela, N.. (2017). Finding Positivity During a Major Organizational Change—In Search of Triggers of Employees’ Positive Perceptions and Feelings. In W. J. Zerbe, C. E. J. Härtel, N. M. Ashkanasy, & L. Petitta (Eds.), Emotions and Identity (Research on Emotions in Organizations, volume 13). Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

    Google Scholar 

  • Raukko, M. (2009). Organizational Commitment During Organizational Changes: A Longitudinal Case Study on Acquired Key Employees. Baltic Journal of Management, 4(3), 331–352.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reus, T. H. (2012). Culture’s Consequences for Emotional Attending During Cross-border Acquisition Implementation. Journal of World Business, 47(3), 342–351.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Riad, S., & Vaara, E. (2011). Varieties of National Metonymy in Media Accounts of International Mergers and Acquisitions. Journal of Management Studies, 48(4), 737–771.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Risberg, A. (2001). Employee Experiences of Acquisition Processes. Journal of World Business, 36(1), 58–84.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rosenblatt, V. (2011). The Impact of Institutional Processes, Social Networks, and Culture on Diffusion of Global Work Values in Multinational Organizations. Cross Cultural Management: An International Journal, 18(1), 105–121.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rouzies, A. (2011). Antecedents of Employees’ Identification with a Merger. A Three-Stage Empirical Study. International Studies of Management and Organization, 41(3), 25–41.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rouzies, A., & Colman, H. L. (2012). Identification Processes in Post-acquisition Integration: The Role of Social Interactions. Corporate Reputation Review, 15(3), 143–157.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sarala, R. M. (2010). The Impact of Cultural Differences and Acculturation Factors on Post-acquisition Conflict. Scandinavian Journal of Management, 26(1), 38–56.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sarala, R. M., Junni, P., Cooper, C. L., & Tarba, S. Y. (2016). A Sociocultural Perspective on Knowledge Transfer in International Acquisitions. Journal of International Business Studies, 41(8), 1365–1390.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sarala, R. M., & Vaara, E. (2010). Cultural Differences, Convergence, and Crossvergence as Explanations of Knowledge Transfer in International Acquisitions. Journal of International Business Studies, 41(8), 1365–1390.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sarala, R. M., Vaara, E., & Junni, P. (forthcoming). Beyond Merger Syndrome and Cultural Differences: New Avenues for Research on the “Human Side” of Global Mergers and Acquisitions (M&As). Journal of World Business. Published electronically October 19, 2017. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jwb.2017.10.001

  • Shrivastava, P. (1986). Post-Merger Integration. The Journal of Business Strategy, 7(1), 65–76.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sinkovics, R. R., Zagelmeyer, S., & Kusstatscher, V. (2011). Between Merger and Syndrome: The Intermediary Role of Emotions in Four Cross-Border M&As. International Business Review, 20(1), 27–47.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stahl, G. K., Angwin, D. N., Very, P., Gomes, E., Weber, Y., Tarba, S. Y., et al. (2013). Sociocultural integration in Mergers and Acquisitions: Unresolved Paradoxes and Directions for Future Research. Thunderbird International Business Review, 55(4), 333–356.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stahl, G. K., & Voigt, A. (2008). Do Cultural Differences Matter in Mergers and Acquisitions? A Tentative Model and Examination. Organization Science, 19(1), 60–176.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sy, T., Côté, S., & Saavedra, R. (2005). The Contagious Leader: Impact of the Leader’s Mood on the Mood of Group Members, Group Affective Tone, and Group Processes. Journal of Applied Psychology, 90(2), 295–305.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Teerikangas, S. (2012). Dynamics of Acquired Firm Pre-acquisition Employee Reactions. Journal of Management, 38(2), 599–639.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Teerikangas, S., & Joseph, R. J. (2012). Post-deal Integration. An Overview. In D. Faulkner, S. Teerikangas, & R. J. Joseph (Eds.), The Handbook of Mergers and Acquisitions (pp. 339–371). Oxford University Press.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Teerikangas, S., & Very, P. (2006). The Culture-Performance Relationship in M&A: From Yes/No to How. British Journal of Management, 17(S1), S31–S48.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Teerikangas, S., & Very, P. (2012). Culture in Mergers and Acquisitions. A Critical Synthesis and Steps Forward. In D. Faulkner, S. Teerikangas, & R. J. Joseph (Eds.), The Handbook of Mergers and Acquisitions (pp. 392–430). Oxford University Press.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Teerikangas, S., Very, P., & Pisano, V. (2011). Integration Managers’ Value-Capturing Roles and Acquisition Performance. Human Resource Management, 50(5), S31–S48.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thanos, I., & Papadakis, V. (2012). Unbundling Acquisition Performance: How Do They Perform and How Can This Be Measured? In D. Faulkner, S. Teerikangas, & R. J. Joseph (Eds.), The Handbook of Mergers and Acquisitions (pp. 114–147). Oxford University Press.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Tienari, J., Søderberg, A.-M., Holgersson, C., & Vaara, E. (2005). Gender and National Identity Constructions in the Cross-Border Merger Context. Gender, Work and Organization, 12(3), 217–241.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vaara, E., Junni, P., Sarala, R. M., Ehrnrooth, M., & Koveshnikov, A. (2014). Attributional Tendencies in Cultural Explanations of M&A Performance. Strategic Management Journal, 35(9), 1302–1317.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vaara, E., Sarala, R., Stahl, G. K., & Björkman, I. (2012). The Impact of National and Organization Cultural Differences on Post-acquisition Integration Outcomes. Journal of Management Studies, 49(1), 1–27.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vaara, E., & Tienari, J. (2011). On the Narrative Construction of Multinational Corporations: An Antenarrative Analysis of Legitimation and Resistance in Cross-Border Merger. Organization Science, 22(2), 370–390.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vaara, E., Tienari, J., & Laurila, J. (2006). Pulp and Paper Fiction: On the Discursive Legitimation of Global Industrial Restructuring. Organization Studies, 27(6), 789–810.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vaara, E., Tienari, J., Piekkari, R., & Säntti, R. (2005). Language and the Circuits of Power in a Merging Multinational Corporation. Journal of Management Studies, 42(3), 595–623.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vaara, E., Tienari, J., & Säntti, R. (2003). The International Match: Metaphors as Vehicles of Social Identity Building in Cross-Border Mergers. Human Relations, 56(4), 419–452.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • van Dick, R., Ullrich, J., & Tissington, P. A. (2006). Working Under a Black Cloud: How to Sustain Organisational Identification After a Merger. British Journal of Management, 17(S1), S69–S79.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • van Knippenberg, D., & Sleebos, E. (2006). Organizational Identification Versus Organizational Commitment: Self-Definition, Social Exchange, and Job Attitudes. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 27(5), 571–584.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Very, P., Lubatkin, M., & Calori, R. (1996). A Cross-National Assessment of Acculturative Stress in Recent European Mergers. International Studies of Management and Organisation, 26(1), 59–86.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Williams, S. L. (2011). Engaging Values in International Business Practice. Business Horizons, 54(4), 315–324.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wong, M. Y. (2016). Towards a Theory of Mood Function. Philosophical Psychology, 29(2), 179–197.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zagelmeyer, S., Sinkovics, R. R., Sinkovics, N., & Kusstatscher, V. (forthcoming). Exploring the Link Between Management Communication and Emotions in Mergers and Acquisitions. Canadian Journal of Administrative Sciences. Published online June 2, 2016. https://doi.org/10.1002/cjas.1382

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK

    Mélanie E. Hassett

  2. School of Economics, University of Turku, Turku, Finland

    Mélanie E. Hassett & Niina Nummela

Authors
  1. Mélanie E. Hassett
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Niina Nummela
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Turku, Turku, Finland

    Johanna Raitis

  2. University of Turku, Turku, Finland

    Riikka Harikkala-Laihinen

  3. University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom

    Mélanie E. Hassett

  4. University of Turku, Turku, Finland

    Niina Nummela

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2018 The Author(s)

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Hassett, M.E., Nummela, N. (2018). A New Research Agenda for Managing Socio-Cultural Integration. In: Raitis, J., Harikkala-Laihinen, R., Hassett, M., Nummela, N. (eds) Socio-Cultural Integration in Mergers and Acquisitions. Palgrave Pivot, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-74341-7_1

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation