Cultural Complexities in Cross Border Mergers & Acquisitions

Research Paper (postgraduate) from the year 2011 in the subject Business economics - Business Management, Corporate Governance, grade: none, University of Pompeu Fabra (ESCI (School of International Trade) ), language: English, abstract: Based on a review of pertinent literature, the paper discusses the role and the complexities of cross-border mergers and acquisition in firms internationalization. The various stages that firms customarily go through as part of an international merger and acquisition process are outlined and debated from both a theoretical and practical perspective. Particular challenges related to the management of the post- merger integration process and complexities related to differences in national and organizational cultures, organizational design and knowledge-structures between the acquirer and the target company are discussed. It is argued that appropriate management of the merging firms human resources as the merging firms smallest common denominator, is the key to optimize the outcome of cross-border transactions and to achieve budgeted post-merger benefits. Based on the conceptual discussion, the paper concludes with key recommendations for how to manage a cross-border deal to minimize risks and increase the probability of achieving the objectives.