Company Mergers

Company mergers and the effect on employees and consumers.

Context:

· Employees

· Management

· Consumers

Direction:

· On-line research (On-line Magazines, News Groups)

· Human Resources

Why the topic is important:

· Mergers have affected our group, and it is a growing trend in the American businesses today.

Relevant Terms:

Merger

A merger is achieved when a company purchases the property of another firm, thus absorbing them into one corporate structure that retains its original identity.

Consumer

Consumers are everyday people who buy goods for personal use. Consumers have the right to question object and boycott companies who are not in their best interest.

Culture

Company culture is the DNA of an organization, not always visible, but it controls the form and function of such elements as decision making, communication style, reward and recognition methods, reporting hierarchies and leadership values.

A lot has been written about the financial aspects of merging companies. Less attention has been focused on the human element. More and more firms risk similar fates as the nation continues to experience a boom in mergers and acquisitions. Last year there were 11,655 domestic mergers and or acquisition deals for a staggering $1.6 trillion, according to Securities Data Company, a research organization in Newark, NJ The number of deals has more than doubled since 1990, when 5,654 transactions were reported.

In most merger and acquisition cases, the parties involved follow a well-established mating ritual called due diligence, which allows them to explore the merits of the marriage. Behind the scenes, lawyers, accountants and high-priced financial analysts join with top executives to make sure the move is strategically and financially smart.

Although predicted synergy's point to handsome profits down the road, when the earnings reports start rolling in, the outcomes are often disappointing. Seven out of ten mergers and acquisitions do not live... [continues]

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