How to avoid ruining your company through international acquisitions? The ahold case

Abstract

After three years of decline, the size and number of international acquisitions is picking up again. We show that there is every reason to believe that some of the mistakes of earlier acquisition waves will be made again. This paper presents five lessons from recent research that will help to avoid costly mistakes and instead build a successful multinational corporation. These lessons are illustrated with a case that has attracted much attention recently: the Ahold case.

Citation

Barkema, H.G. (2006), "How to avoid ruining your company through international acquisitions? The ahold case", Cooper, C.L. and Finkelstein, S. (Ed.) Advances in Mergers and Acquisitions (Advances in Mergers and Acquisitions, Vol. 5), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 105-125. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1479-361X(06)05006-X