Mergers and acquisitions in the hightech industry: a literature review

Purpose - As a result of the impressive wave of mergers and acquisitions (M&As) in recent years, operations that were traditionally considered to be extraordinary have become common business development options. M&As have produced mixed results for their stakeholders, which resulted in extensive economics debate, albeit without a systemic vision. As a result, the M&A literature has not yet developed a paradigm and the purpose of this paper is to present a review of the existing literature. Design/methodology/approach - The authors carried out a review of literature on M&As in technology-driven sectors. Findings - The critical examination of the innovation and value creation processes in M&As in hightech industry provides new insights for incumbent executives and can better plan and implement M&As deals. Originality/value - Since 1990 there has been a major expansion of M&As in high-tech sectors, many involving the acquisition of small and young start-ups. To address this important topic the authors present here a review of literature on M&As in technology-driven sectors.