Strategic Direction: Volume 32 Issue 6

Guest editorial

The latest boom in mergers and acquisitions. Should we be worried?

This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies.

The 100 billion dollar Heinz-Kraft deal

The purpose of this paper is to assess the motivations behind the merger of Heinz and Kraft. This merger, finalized on July 2nd, was one of the largest mergers to take place in…

Theory and practice in M&A valuations

Academics and practitioners are in relative agreement on what drives a company’s fundamental value, primarily it’s current assets and future cash flows. The practice of paying a…

M&A in the high tech industry: value and valuation

In the past decade, a high substantial number of academic literature and press articles have questioned merger or acquisition (M&A) transactions. If this enthusiasm towards M&A…

M&As: four questions to ask before the proposal

According to the Irish writer, Oscar Wilde, a second marriage is the “triumph of hope over experience”. Many mergers and acquisitions (M&As) could be cast in the same light. This…

Seller side HR perspectives during M&A deals: The journey from “intent” to “deal fruition”

This paper aims to focus on the HR issues that seller organizations face during the pre-deal stage of mergers and acquisitions (M&A). It recommends the HR strategies that…

Allianz and its fateful acquisition of Dresdner Bank

The Allianz acquisition of Dresdner Bank was announced as one of the most important deals of the year, in 2001. It was certainly one of the largest. In April 2001, the…

Innovation through M&A in the biopharmaceutical sector

This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies.

Pharmaceutical megamergers’ dependence on existing products: The case for R&D in the Pfizer-Allergan merger

Recent developments suggest that pharmaceutical companies are acquiring existing products through mergers to improve their business models; however, this paper aims to emphasize…

Three high profile airline M&As: And the winner is…

This paper aims to analyse the success of the three main mergers that have taken place in the US airline industry since 2008. Delta and Northwest, then Continental and United and…

Drones in sight: rapid growth through M&A’s in a soaring new industry

The purpose of this paper is to review the recent developments within the non-military drone industry, and the increase thereafter of investment within the industry through…

Can a merger of equals truly exist?

Between 1985 and 2001, only 45 of 90,480 total European mergers and acquisitions were identified as a merger of equals (Zaheer et al., 2003). This indicates that there were less…

Competitive horizons