Human Resource Due Diligence within the Context of Mergers & Acquisitions

Master's Thesis from the year 2004 in the subject Business economics - Business Management, Corporate Governance, grade: 1.0, University of Strathclyde, language: English, abstract: The process of M&A (Mergers & Acquisitions) represents a predominate form of expansion, growth and internationalisation. In the past, M&A research into the strategic fit producing optimal synergies between two corporations has largely focused on the financial, legal and economic aspects of any prospective deal. Only since the increased awareness of a nearly fifty percent failure ratei has there also been growing consciousness of HR’s significance in this equation, together with the cultural aspects of integration strategies, and the cultural factors for globalisation – in other words, the cultural fit!In global terms, there is increasing acknowledgement and awareness of intellectual capital as a core economic resource, rating the significance of a company’s sum of human capital and intellectual property on a par with physical assets such as equipment, plant and inventories. Empirical evidence suggests that the management of cultural and human factors in a M&A implementation is crucial for smooth integration and overall positive outcome.The project work discusses, investigates, and reports on research into the essentials of human resource due diligence and its cultural aspects in a cross-border integration. It focuses on human resource management and cultural integration during a M&A phase. It also points out specific findings on integration using and intensive HR due diligence approach. The issues of discussions are based on a wide range of literature supported by findings of empirical studies published internationally and the M&A knowledge of the management staff . The project intends to tackle the contrast between pre-acquisition motives and post-acquisition behaviour, and the subtle process of sound integration in terms of HR due diligence in general cross-border M&A. The work will touch on the measurement approaches of the field of human resource accounting (HRA), specifically the stochastic rewards valuation model for M&A, as a tools for the measurement of the value of the ROI on human capital.The discussion on cultural integration includes cultural fit, cultural change and management across national cultures in mergers and acquisitions. Addressing these issues is designed to provide further insights for the two companies in question into the significance of HR due diligence in the run-up to any possible merger or an acquisition of ADMECO AG.