TY - JOUR

T1 - How communication approaches impact mergers and acquisitions outcomes

AU - Angwin, Duncan

AU - Mellahi, Kamel

AU - Gomes, Emanuel

AU - Peter, Emmanuel

PY - 2016

Y1 - 2016

N2 - Communication is generally viewed as a critical component in mergers and acquisitions (M&A) performance, yet surprisingly little research has examined the link between different communication approaches and M&A outcomes. This paper provides a systematic empirical study to evaluate the link between communication approaches and M&As outcome. Specifically, a typology is created to examine interaction between the process and content of communication and M&A outcomes, in terms of employee commitment to merged organization strategy and M&A survival. Using data drawn from a single clearly defined M&A wave in the Nigerian banking sector, different communication practices are related to M&A outcomes. The findings are the first to show the effects of communications practices in African M&A and answer the calls for extending M&A research beyond western developed countries. They confirm the importance of communication practices in M&A, extend earlier findings on the importance of post-acquisition integration communication in US and European contexts and show the importance of communicating throughout the whole M&A process.

AB - Communication is generally viewed as a critical component in mergers and acquisitions (M&A) performance, yet surprisingly little research has examined the link between different communication approaches and M&A outcomes. This paper provides a systematic empirical study to evaluate the link between communication approaches and M&As outcome. Specifically, a typology is created to examine interaction between the process and content of communication and M&A outcomes, in terms of employee commitment to merged organization strategy and M&A survival. Using data drawn from a single clearly defined M&A wave in the Nigerian banking sector, different communication practices are related to M&A outcomes. The findings are the first to show the effects of communications practices in African M&A and answer the calls for extending M&A research beyond western developed countries. They confirm the importance of communication practices in M&A, extend earlier findings on the importance of post-acquisition integration communication in US and European contexts and show the importance of communicating throughout the whole M&A process.

KW - M&A communications

KW - Nigerian M&A

KW - Nigerian Banking

KW - African M&A

KW - Communications process during M&A

U2 - 10.1080/09585192.2014.985330

DO - 10.1080/09585192.2014.985330

M3 - Journal article

VL - 27

SP - 2370

EP - 2397

JO - The International Journal of Human Resource Management

JF - The International Journal of Human Resource Management

SN - 0958-5192

IS - 20

ER -