Thorsten LutherInformation Systems within Merging Organizations

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Due to the heavily reliance of today’s organizations on their IT-based Information Systems, the integration of the Information Systems (IS) plays a crucial role in the context of Mergers & Acquisitions (M&As).

This study analyzes the role of Information Systems across all stages of the M&A process. The results of an empirical research of recent M&As are used to develop a M&A IT integration method incl. a corresponding decision model. This method ensures that both business and IS aspects are sufficiently taken into account – and thereby resolves a dilemma faced by many M&As.

The analysis further visualizes the IT-related possibilities to support the M&A integration by focusing on the critical M&A success and failure factors. Organizational, process, employee and IT-related aspects including the capabilities of state-of-the-art IT concepts and technologies (e.g. Service-Oriented Architectures, Semantics) are considered.

In order to better prepare organizations for upcoming M&As, this scientific work concludes with recommendations regarding a merger- and divestiture-friendly set-up of Information Systems. Every business and IT manager somehow involved in M&As should use the huge insights gained by this profound M&A analysis to get his IT in a M&A-ready shape - and to excel within his next post-merger integration project!