Proven strategies and tactics to manage the integration of acquired and/or merged companies Mergers & Acquisitions Integration Handbook is a comprehensive resource to help companies create a scalable post merger or acquisition integration process and framework that accelerates operating and business benefit goal realization.
- Includes tools, templates, forms, examples and checklists to provide a no nonsense “handbook” style approach to managing an effective integration.
- Helps integration managers quickly get up to speed on various integration challenges, including guidance on developing detailed operational and functional integration plans to support flawless execution.
- Reveals how to avoid integration failure by establishing an in-house integration management office to handle integration projects.
- Includes a sample integration playbook that can be used to create a core competency within companies to support ongoing integration activity.
Botched integration is the number one reason mergers fail. Mergers & Acquisitions Integration Handbook shows you how to develop, execute and implement merger integrations and business strategies to realize your organization's mergers and acquisitions goals.
Table of Contents:
Acknowledgments xi
Chapter 1 Introduction 1
Who Should Use This Book? 1
How This Book is Set Up 2
Chapter Summaries 2
A Word to the Wise 4
Chapter 2 Mergers and Acquisitions 101 and Assessing Integration Complexity and Risk 7
Mergers and Acquisitions 101 7
Determining Post-Acquisition Integration Scope 8
Assessing Integration Complexity and Risk 11
Summary 18
Chapter 3 Making the Business Case for Integration 19
How to Improve Performance 19
The Most Complex Areas 21
Making the Business Case for Integration Support 23
The Challenges of Integration 24
Integration Success Factors 29
Summary 30
Chapter 4 An Introduction to Integration Planning 31
Integration Activities 32
Integration Timing 32
Integration and Business Planning 33
Integration Support 35
Summary 37
Chapter 5 The Pre-Planning Phase 39
Key Activities 39
Reviewing the Planning Documents 40
Assessing Potential Challenge Areas 42
Summary 45
Chapter 6 The Importance of Due Diligence 47
Due Diligence Documents Lists 48
A Few Words about IT Due Diligence 59
Summary 60
Chapter 7 Establishing an Integration Management Office 61
Setting Up an IMO 63
Determining Functional Resource Commitments 66
Dedicated versus Matrixed Resources 68
Setting Up an Integration Project Charter 69
Setting Up an Integration Governance Structure 72
Summary 73
Chapter 8 Executing Your Integration Plan 75
Functional Work-Plan Elements 76
Integration Work Streams 77
Functional Work-Plan Quality 79
Functions Requiring Extra Attention 82
Summary 85
Chapter 9 Planning Your Integration’s End State 87
How to Know When an Integration is Finished 88
The Typical Process: Roles, Responsibilities, Tracking, and Finishing Well 88
Summary 93
Chapter 10 Effective Communication Planning 95
Communication Planning Objectives 95
Guiding Principles for an Effective Communication Plan 96
Establishing a Communication Matrix 97
A Proper Communication Process 101
Summary 105
Chapter 11 Cultural Integration and Assessment 107
Managing Cultural Integration Activities 107
Culture and Change Management 112
Summary 114
Chapter 12 The Talent Assessment Process 115
Talent Assessment Guiding Principles 115
Talent Assessment Objectives 116
Evaluation Tools for Assessing Talent 117
Retention and Separation Guidelines and Policies 118
Dependencies for Talent Assessment and Retention and Separation Activities 123
Things to Avoid 125
Summary 126
Chapter 13 Synergy Program Management 127
Effectively Managing Synergies 128
The IMO’s Role in Managing a Synergy Program 129
A Typical Synergy Plan 130
Best Practices 137
Summary 138
Chapter 14 Information Technology Integration 139
IT’s Role within an Integration 140
Day One Planning 144
The Three Risks 146
Summary 147
Chapter 15 Integration Feedback: Lessons Learned 149
Goals and Tools of Lessons Learned 149
Getting Feedback and Making Adjustments 150
Collecting Post-Integration Feedback 151
Additional Tips 153
Summary 156
Chapter 16 Creating an Integration Playbook 157
Playbook Contents 157
Playbook Elements 159
How the Elements Work Together 161
Applying the Playbook 162
Summary 162
About the Author 163
About the Website 165
Index 167
About the Author :
SCOTT C. WHITAKER, CMC, is President and CEO of Whitaker & Company, an Atlanta-based consulting and project management firm specializing in helping companies to develop, execute, and implement merger integrations and business strategies designed to achieve growth. Since 2005, Whitaker & Company has been involved in merger integration and strategy and operations projects totaling more than $25 billion for both domestic and international companies.
