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Entrepreneurial integration skills: Knowing what you acquire to integrate it

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Publication date2016
Host publicationMergers and Acquisitions, Entrepreneurship and Innovation
EditorsYaakov Weber, Shlomo Y. Tarba
PublisherEmerald Group Publishing Ltd.
Pages1-29
Number of pages29
ISBN (electronic)9781786353719
ISBN (print)9781786353726
<mark>Original language</mark>English

Publication series

NameTechnology Innovation Entrepreneurship and Competitive Strategy
PublisherEmerald
Volume15
ISSN (Print)1479-067X

Abstract

© 2016 by Emerald Group Publishing Limited.Acquisition integration is important to realize synergies and to achieve acquisition success. However, there is a lack of clarity on pertinent integration approaches suggesting that integration is more complex and dynamic than traditionally assumed. In this chapter, we shed light on ambiguous cause effect relationships by investigating the effect of integration related decisions on intermediate goals. Additionally, we argue that entrepreneurial integration skills, or proactivity under ambiguity, are needed to keep pace with the dynamism inherent in acquisition integration. Based on primary data on 116 acquisitions, we find that entrepreneurial integration skills can display both advantages and disadvantages. While it helps to realize expected and serendipitous synergies, it can also trigger employee uncertainty due to decreased transparency. In supplementary analysis, we show measures to outperform with various integration approaches. Implications for management research and practice are identified.