Integration of nonmarket and market activities in cross-border mergers and acquisitions

Drawing on the resource dependence theory and the resource-based view, this paper investigates the interactions between market and nonmarket activities of firms in the context of the post-merger integration phase in cross-border mergers and acquisitions (M&As). Based on a cross-country survey of 111 M&A practitioners who were personally involved in cross-border M&As around the world, we test seven hypotheses on various market and nonmarket aspects of post-merger integration. We find a positive correlation between buffering strategies and adaptive capabilities in the nonmarket environment, and between bridging and adaptive capabilities in the market environment. However, we could not find any significant correlation between buffering and adaptive capabilities in the market environment, and bridging and adaptive capabilities in the nonmarket environment. We also find that adaptability in the nonmarket environment is positively correlated with adaptability in the market environment, and in turn adaptability in the market environment leads to positive organizational performance of a cross border M&A. These results provide further support for the value of the alignment between market and nonmarket activities and help to fill a gap in the literature on the market-nonmarket interactions in post-merger integration.

This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Ahammad, M. F., Tarba, S. Y., Frynas, J. G. and Scola, A. (2017), Integration of Non-market and Market Activities in Cross-border Mergers and Acquisitions. Brit J Manage, 28: 629–648. doi:10.1111/1467-8551.12228, which has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8551.12228. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Self-Archiving.

Special Issue: Non-market Social and Political Strategies