Integration: The Critical M&A Success Factor

Most mergers and acquisitions (M&As) fail to meet the expectations of the purchasers. It is clear that the due diligence, valuation analysis, and negotiation that precede the closing of a transaction cannot guarantee its success. Instead, the synergies and assumptions that supported the decision to acquire a target business will be realized only if the purchaser effectively integrates the target. Unfortunately, many purchasers either fail to plan the integration of the target adequately or conduct the integration process too slowly. The author of this article explains how to draw up a good integration plan that will boost the chances of M&A success. (C) 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.