ABSTRACT
The purpose of the chapter is first to demonstrate the relevance of the critical incident technique (CIT) to access managerial perception, emotions, and stress in a post-merger integration setting. The CIT is examined from a novel perspective to show its relevance to study soft factors of M&As. Second, I use the critical incident methodology to develop a series of critical incidents derived from interviews with middle managers regarding their experiences with M&As. Then, critical incidents are incorporated into measurement tools aimed at assessing the perceived friction of middle managers during post-merger integration, and its potential influence on job commitment, job stress or intention to quit. Ultimately this line of research will allow for a richer evaluation of factors that both promote and hinder successful M&As.
