Successful post-merger integration	Even the most strategically justified merger or acquisition can easily turn into a nightmare if it is not implemented well. Indeed, successful post-merger integration is often a huge and very risky endeavor, given the complexity and number of initiatives that must be conducted simultaneously, the extremely emotional context, and the pressure of shareholders demanding rapid results. Our selected publications underline three conditions for success, namely rapidly asserting strong leadership, accelerating the integration by focusing on the essential and actively managing the cultural dimension.
Achieving Post-Merger Success, Robert Carleton, Claude Lineberry, Pfeiffer, 2004 Max Habeck, Fritz Kröger, Michael Träm, Financial Times Prentice Hall, 2000 The Human Side of M&A, Dennis Carey, Dayton Ogden, Oxford University Press, 2004
Flawed mergers	Hardly a week goes by without a merger or acquisition being announced. Many companies consider such deals as one of the most attractive ways to achieve their growth objectives. Yet, post-merger analyses show that most of these transactions do not live up to expectations. Are they really so difficult to implement? Perhaps, but this is not the whole story. In many cases, the decision to merge never should have been made in the first place. To avoid flawed mergers, companies must take the decision only if the merger addresses a real strategic need, thoroughly assess the chances of realizing expected gains, and be ready to assume the inevitable risks.
Managing Complex Mergers , Piero Morosini, Ulrich Steger et al, Prentice Hall, 2004. Integrating Newly Merged Organizations, Michael Gendron, Praeger, 2004.
Charging Back Up the Hill	Restructuring – in the form of mergers or downsizing – invariably has a major impact on employee morale. In fact, the human dimension largely explains why the results of restructuring are frequently disappointing. Charging Back Up the Hill analyzes this phenomenon and shows why it is practically inevitable. However, the author proffers the encouraging message that although companies cannot avoid psychological upheaval altogether, executives still have means at their disposal to help employees “charge back up the hill” and get re-motivated. This book offers a structured approach centered around two dimensions, i.e. helping employees let go of the past and look forward to the future once again.
Mitchell Lee Marks Jossey-Bass, 2003.
Managing Acquisitions	This book describes the principles governing successful post-merger integration, and shows that it is particularly important to distinguish between three possible scenarios, depending on the situation of the two merging companies. The key steps in the integration process are then described for each respective scenario.
Philippe C. Haspeslagh and David B. Jemison, The Free Press, 1991.
Corporate-Level Strategy	This book explores how corporate headquarters can create value for group divisions and subsidiaries, and focuses particularly on four key ways to do this: reinforce cross-company communication; provide otherwise unavailable expertise; manage portfolio cycles well; support the appointment of effective managers.
Michael Goold, Andrew Campbell and Marcus Alexander, Wiley, 1993.
Collaborating to Compete	This book presents the results of a McKinsey study on fifty international mergers and acquisitions in Europe, the U.S., and Japan. The authors show which strategy companies should use to penetrate new markets depending on prevailing conditions, then describe the principles governing successful alliances.
Under the direction of Joel Bleeke and David Ernst, Wiley, 1993.
Synergy	This book describes a pragmatic approach to take advantage of potential synergies between the different units of a corporate group. After warning managers about how frequently companies fail in this endeavor, the authors then offer an approach to help them analyze opportunities, avoid false synergy traps, and concentrate efforts on truly promising projects.
Andrew Campbell and Michael Goold, Capstone, 1997.