How to Maintain Market Position

Abstract

BP Amoco was the largest industrial merger in corporate history. The intent to merge was announced in August 1998, less than 60 days after being proposed by Sir John Browne. The deal was to merge British Petroleum with the North American oil giant, Amoco, and this extraordinary task was achieved within 100 days. Preserving the value of both of the former companies’ key intellectual capital, while instituting new processes within the combined companies, was recognized early in the game as a key priority. Dave Barrow, one of the leaders in the company’s knowledge management initiative, likened the intensity and importance of the effort to the success of the new company to that of the Marshall Plan in mapping the reconstruction of post-World War II Europe. The merger plan was fundamental to the success BP Amoco has achieved and maintained through to the time of this writing.