Hard Facts, Dangerous Half-Truths, and Total Nonsense

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Why Every Company Needs Evidence-Based Management

ON THE DAY Synoptics and Wellfleet Communications merged to form Bay Networks, the company’s revenue was about equal to its major competitor, Cisco Systems. If you haven’t heard of Bay Networks, don’t be surprised. This merger between two firms, similar in size and headquartered on opposite coasts of the United States, failed by any measure. Bay Networks fell on hard times economically, was left in the dust technologically by Cisco and others, and was finally purchased by Nortel—another troubled networking company that suffered operating problems as a result of botched mergers. Mergers often come to a bad end. Remember Conseco—the insurance and financial services company that purchased Green ...