The IABC Handbook of Organizational Communication: A Guide to Internal Communication, Public Relations, Marketing, and Leadership

Postmerger Cultural Integration

In the last stage of the M&A process, the corporate communicator is focused on ensuring a successful integration of all newly merged employees and keeping the outside world informed about how it is going. This, of course, assumes a strategic merger in which cultural integration is critical for success. If the M&A is one of the few that seek only financial synergy and employees are promised a hands-off arrangement, then the M&A process is complete, and operations go back to normal with only minimal communication and interference from the new corporate parent.

However, if cultural integration is the goal, then integration teams will continue to operate well after the deal is official for as long as deemed necessary ...