The Impact of Mergers and Acquisitions on People at Work: Existing Research and Issues

Despite the attention mergers and acquisition have received from financial and marketing strategists, the merger failure rate remains as high as ever. In light of the current wave of merger activity, it would seem an appropriate time to consider alternative explanations of merger failure, and assess the contribution which psychology can make to our understanding of mergers and acquisitions in addressing the essence of the activity; the positive combination of people and the fusion of organizational cultures.