Thinking about People in Mergers and Acquisitions Processes

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to propose a human resource management model for the integration stage of mergers and acquisitions (M/A) process with four key factors: leadership and integration team; change and restructuring process; human resources (HR) resistance; valuable HR retention. Design/methodology/approach – The authors analyze a case study of a multinational company that operates in the mechanical engineering sector. Findings – The results show the special importance of human resource management in the success of the merger and acquisition process. And, the main actions implemented in HR contributing to the success of this process are identified. Research limitations/implications – Subsequent investigations could conduct similar analyses for the planning and implementation stages of the merger and acquisition process, with the objective of presenting a complete HR management model in merger and acquisition processes. Practical implications – The case study allows researchers to learn from professionals and business leaders while also offering a theoretical model that can help managers make decisions and improve the management of these processes. Originality/value – The main contribution of this study has been to observe how HR are managed in the integration stage of M/A.