How much an international acquisition can influence in the acquired organization's performance and culture? Integration of strategic and organization perspectives: a case study of Alstom Grid transition towards acquisition periods.
Abstract
The dissertation involves the analysis of culture performance and differences of influenced by organizations that have experienced. The conducting of the dissertation involves one of the leading energy organizations, particularly the Gas Insulated Switchgear manufacturing facility in Switzerland, Alstom Grid GmbH, which has overtaken and resurged from successful several merging and acquisitions processes in the past 40 years. A broad review of literature associated to the influence aspects of mergers and acquisitions is conducted. The foundations which result into how economic, social and politic factors weight the cultural differences within the organization are taken into consideration. The dissertation also describes the main identified cultural differences which results in the merging and acquisitions to become successful or failure. Cultural evaluation, management and leadership performance analysis, cultural integration analysis and their benefit towards the accomplished mergers and acquisitions are also conducted specifically focused in Alstom past history in the dissertation. The evaluation of the dissertation is also assured by the applied methodologies in which includes the conduction of research design and approaches. The findings of the dissertation are explained in details to ensure a clear understand of how important organizational and national cultural differences influence in the process of establishing a merging and acquisition. Lastly, the conclusion and recommendations develop the knowledge and enable the improvement of merger and acquisition process in others international organizations.
Aim
The aim of this dissertation was to review and carry out a study of how acquired organizations are influenced by acquiring companies that result in their performance and culture behavior improvement and imperfection before and after acquisition takes place. Integration is the main important phase which requires strategic and organizational conditioning factors that includes the culture acceptance and best management practices. Geiger (2010) described that many factors can influence and improve the implementation and cultural integration. The organization of an early process plan, setting and communication of clear goals, arrangement of management with appropriate incentives to define the areas that can be achieved, keeping appropriate information between employees and customer, applying a quickly integration system with a sensitive culture change are many of these important factor.
The case was most focused on the past and present experiences within different departments in Alstom Grid Switzerland, and the old and future acquisitions that influence the present organization. It also investigated, through secondary approach, others organizations that have experienced similar situation.
Research Question
The creation of a research objective in a dissertation is supported by the creation of questions and evaluation of its feasibility. The main research question explored in this dissertation was:
How much an international acquisition could influence in the acquired organization's performance and culture?
The Research Objectives
In order to conduct the study, research objectives were considered, as they determine the kind of questions, data collection and analysis procedure and design of the propose study. The objective of this research was to follow the investigation based on the below statements:
• Identification of the organization culture and national culture, the differences and importance each ones is considered (Gerhart, 2009).
• Identification of the past and expected behavior of cross cultural alienation before and after acquisition and the impact that might affect the organizations performance (Coisne, 2014).
• Assessment the role of management and performance management practices in context of acquainted company.
• Description of challenges during integration to a new culture, formulation of a common vision, building trust and communicate information.
• Recommendation of effective strategy to execute the most effective model of organizational culture and the participation of management towards cultural-related processes (Latta, 2009).