Delivering value through mergers and acquisitions: HR’s critical role

Despite the global economic downturn, mergers and acquisitions (M&A) are as popular as ever. But there’s a darker side to M&A with more than 70% of deals not delivering the value they promised. Read this ebook to better understand M&A’s complex relationship with business growth and value creation and why so many M&A deals fail.

With a total global value of $3.6 trillion (£2.7 trillion) in 2020, down just 5% from the year before, mergers and acquisitions (M&A) are as popular as ever. Despite a drop in the US, deal-making in Europe and Asia increased 34%, driven by activity in finance and technology.

In its latest ebook, the Corporate Research Forum (CRF) looks at M&A’s complex relationship with business growth and value creation. While M&A gives a big boost to acquired companies, 70-90% of all deals fail to deliver promised value to the acquirer. Yet the temptation to grow quickly continues to outshine the risks.

Download this ebook to learn about:

• the factors that drive mergers and acquisitions despite the poor outcome on paper. From innovation, cost cutting and increasing regulation, businesses face many pressures that M&A can alleviate despite the failure rate
• the reasons why so many M&A deals fail. Superficial due diligence, poor planning, inadequate change management or just bad timing are among the reasons that deals go bad
• HR’s role and contribution in delivering value from mergers and acquisitions. Historically, HR’s involvement comes very late in the process, but this is changing as the importance of people and culture becomes clear
• common challenges and general principles of effective company integration. Uncertainty, talent management, leadership capability and financial liabilities can all cause deals to falter

For the study, CRF interviewed practitioners, industry experts and academics across a range of sectors in the US, UK and Europe to understand their views on HR’s involvements in mergers and acquisitions. CRF also surveyed 55 HR Directors and Business Partners in November and December 2020.

Download the ebook ‘delivering value through mergers and acquisitions ‘ now to find out more.