How to Blend Company Cultures in a Merger
Considering an acquisition? Learn to minimize a potential blow to employees and maximize the value of existing talent.
Q: I'm considering acquiring a competitor. What do I need to know about merging two cultures?
A: We bow to you for thinking about this issue ahead of time. Approximately 65 percent of mergers and acquisitions fail. "The No. 1 reason is a poorly planned and managed integration," says Alan J. Smith, CEO of San Francisco-based Bay Pacific Group, an M&A consulting firm. "Executives underestimate the challenge involved in successfully blending corporate cultures."
Don't believe it? Look what happened when behemoths Daimler-Benz and Chrysler tried to get together. It was called a "merger of equals," but one company always dominates, Smith says.
Continue reading this article - and everything on Entrepreneur!
Become a member to get unlimited access and support the voices you want to hear more from. Get full access to Entrepreneur for just $5.
Entrepreneur Editors' Picks
-
When Her Parents' Restaurant Burned Down, This First-Generation Founder's Hot Sauce Brand Rose From the Ashes to Take on Corporate Giants
-
Not Hitting Your Goals? Here's How to Know If You Should Change Tactics or Strategy.
-
You Can Generate Your Own Viral LinkedIn Post With This Hilarious Tool
-
This Couple Lost Everything When the Housing Market Crashed. But Manifesting 'Magic' Helped Them Launch a Metaphysical Brand With 10 Stores.
-
The Best Software Solutions and Tech Providers in the Franchising Industry
-
This 18-Year-Old Student Wanted a Better Way to Keep Track of His School Work. So He Built an App — and a Business.
