ABSTRACT
A quick perusal of the business press suggests that, while merger and acquisition (M&A) activity continues to be running at a high point, many M&A deals, as demonstrated by the following illustrations, appear to be experiencing severe digestion pains. To a large degree, organizations use consultants during mergers and acquisitions for the same reasons that most companies use consultants – to draw on their unbiased analysis; to benchmark organizational processes against a range of best practices; to gain perspective and see the "big" picture; and to provide training and related implementation support. Compared to the financial orientation of many past mergers and acquisitions, where being over-leveraged was the main risk, the recent M&A boom reflects deals that are more strategically driven. One finding that has clearly emerged from studies of M&A activities is the importance of establishing a dedicated senior integration manager as early as possible.
