UNIT 9: RESCUING A MERGER THAT’S GOING WRONG
1. BEFOR YOU READ
DISCUSS THESE QUESTIONS.
1. Can you think of some international mergers which have not worked? What were the
reasons?
2. What steps should the (EO of a newly merged company take to try to ensure that it will
be successful, especially from a cultural point of view?
2. READING
UNDERSTANGING THE MAIN POINTS
1. Read the article on the opposite page and answer this question.
What was the main problem at Alcatel-Lucent before Ben Verwaayen was appointed as
the new CEO?
The merger integration had gone badly, and the cultural differences between the
French and the Americans had become greater in the two years since the merger.
2. Match each of these pieces of advice to the person who gave it.
a. A merger is an opportunity to change the culture of the new organisation fight from
the start. Richard Rawlinson
b. It is important for the different cultures in a cross-border merger to learn how to
work well together. John Schwarz
c. A newly merged company needs to have a common vision, which is shared by all
senior managers and communicated to all employees. Colette Hill
UNDERSTANDING DETAILS
Read the article again and say whether these statements are true (T), false (F) or there is not
enough information given (N). Give your reasons.
1. Ben Verwaayen was previously Chief Executive of British Telecom.
T
2. Ben Verwaayen is Dutch.
N (H is nationality is not mentioned.)
3. When Akatel and Lucent merged, the US culture became the dominant culture.
N (Th is is not mentioned.)
4. Before its acquisition by SAP, Business Objects had little experience of US business
culture.
F (Before its acquisition by SAP, Business Objects was a French company with a strong
US presence)
5. Integrating SAP and Business Objects managers into cross border teams was a priority
after that merger.
T (in the first six months after the acquisition, more than 35 per cent o f senior
managers transferred from SAP, while all of the original Business Objects corporate
services people are now part of a global shared-services team. (lines 31-36))
6. In all mergers, some managers will be unhappy with the new culture and will leave.
T
,7. Changing the culture of the newly merged entity is not the most urgent priority.
Improving income and profits are more important.
F (The reason cultural problems matter is that they obstruct performance, and the
need to improve performance is the best incentive to change culture. Besides, cultural
change is easier when a company is challenged. This is the reason that such change had
better start at the beginning of a turnaround.
8. Immediately after a merger, a PR firm should be hired to manage all external
communications.
N (Although good communication after a merger is important, nothing is mentioned
about hiring a PR company.)
9. It is important for all members of a merged company to share a common goal.
T
10. During the merger integration process, only positive news should be communicated.
Problems and difficulties should be kept private.
T
3. VOCABULARY
WORD SEARCH
Find words or phrases in the article which fit these meanings.
1. Something that is badly managed (paragraph A)
Mishandled
2. Increased, made worse (paragraph AJ
Heightened
3. When people dislike each other (paragraph BJ
Antipathy
4. Directly (paragraph B)
Head-on
5. Determination and energy to succeed (paragraph C)
Drive
6. Accept an idea openly and willingly (paragraph E)
Embrace
7. Supporters (paragraph F)
Allies
8. Try to prevent something from happening by making it difficult (paragraph G)
Obstruct
9. Something that encourages you to start something new (paragraph G)
Incentive
10. When a situation changes from bad to good (paragraph G)
Turnaround
11. The thing that keeps something strong, healthy and successful (paragraph H)
Lifeblood
12. When people work together to produce something (paragraph H)
Collaborative
13. Describe and explain something in clear language (paragraph H)
Articulate
14. Be known by everyone (paragraph H)
Become public knowledge
, 15. The opinion people have about how good or bad something is (paragraph H)
Reputation
16. A person or group that is involved in and can be affected by a particular organisation
(paragraph 1)
Stakeholder
NEGATIVE AND POSITIVE PHRASES
1. Find four phrases in 'The Problem' section which describe the negative aspects of cross-
border mergers.
2. Find at least four positive expressions and recommendations in John Schwarz's advice on
how to make cross-border mergers successful.
3. Find at least seven recommendations in Colette Hill's advice for helping cross border
mergers to work better.
VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT
1. The word cultural is used Five times in the article in combination with different nouns.
Find the phrases by matching the nouns to these definitions.
1. things that people discuss and that need to be dealt with cultural issues
2. when two or more groups do not think or behave in the same way cultural
differences
3. when things are done differently cultural changes
4. being aware of the feelings of others cultural sensitivity
5. things that causes trouble or difficulty cultural problems
2. What other phrases using cultural + noun can you think of?
Suggested answers: cultural identity, cultural diversity cultural heritage cultural
misunderstanding, cultural awareness, cultural perspective cultural challenge, cultural
adjustment
PREPOSITIONS
Complete these sentences using the prepositions in the box.
For from into on on
1. When a team works well, all the team members feel confident they can depend. On each
other.
2. Many cross-border mergers suffer from poor preparation concerning post-merger
integration.
3. A successful merger will draw on the best aspects of both merger partners.
4. In an international merger, it is vital to plan in advance how different cultures can best
work together rather than waiting for problems to arise.
5. Cultural differences can be a stimulus for creativity and new ways of thinking, so that
cultural issues can be turned into a source of competitive advantage.
1. BEFOR YOU READ
DISCUSS THESE QUESTIONS.
1. Can you think of some international mergers which have not worked? What were the
reasons?
2. What steps should the (EO of a newly merged company take to try to ensure that it will
be successful, especially from a cultural point of view?
2. READING
UNDERSTANGING THE MAIN POINTS
1. Read the article on the opposite page and answer this question.
What was the main problem at Alcatel-Lucent before Ben Verwaayen was appointed as
the new CEO?
The merger integration had gone badly, and the cultural differences between the
French and the Americans had become greater in the two years since the merger.
2. Match each of these pieces of advice to the person who gave it.
a. A merger is an opportunity to change the culture of the new organisation fight from
the start. Richard Rawlinson
b. It is important for the different cultures in a cross-border merger to learn how to
work well together. John Schwarz
c. A newly merged company needs to have a common vision, which is shared by all
senior managers and communicated to all employees. Colette Hill
UNDERSTANDING DETAILS
Read the article again and say whether these statements are true (T), false (F) or there is not
enough information given (N). Give your reasons.
1. Ben Verwaayen was previously Chief Executive of British Telecom.
T
2. Ben Verwaayen is Dutch.
N (H is nationality is not mentioned.)
3. When Akatel and Lucent merged, the US culture became the dominant culture.
N (Th is is not mentioned.)
4. Before its acquisition by SAP, Business Objects had little experience of US business
culture.
F (Before its acquisition by SAP, Business Objects was a French company with a strong
US presence)
5. Integrating SAP and Business Objects managers into cross border teams was a priority
after that merger.
T (in the first six months after the acquisition, more than 35 per cent o f senior
managers transferred from SAP, while all of the original Business Objects corporate
services people are now part of a global shared-services team. (lines 31-36))
6. In all mergers, some managers will be unhappy with the new culture and will leave.
T
,7. Changing the culture of the newly merged entity is not the most urgent priority.
Improving income and profits are more important.
F (The reason cultural problems matter is that they obstruct performance, and the
need to improve performance is the best incentive to change culture. Besides, cultural
change is easier when a company is challenged. This is the reason that such change had
better start at the beginning of a turnaround.
8. Immediately after a merger, a PR firm should be hired to manage all external
communications.
N (Although good communication after a merger is important, nothing is mentioned
about hiring a PR company.)
9. It is important for all members of a merged company to share a common goal.
T
10. During the merger integration process, only positive news should be communicated.
Problems and difficulties should be kept private.
T
3. VOCABULARY
WORD SEARCH
Find words or phrases in the article which fit these meanings.
1. Something that is badly managed (paragraph A)
Mishandled
2. Increased, made worse (paragraph AJ
Heightened
3. When people dislike each other (paragraph BJ
Antipathy
4. Directly (paragraph B)
Head-on
5. Determination and energy to succeed (paragraph C)
Drive
6. Accept an idea openly and willingly (paragraph E)
Embrace
7. Supporters (paragraph F)
Allies
8. Try to prevent something from happening by making it difficult (paragraph G)
Obstruct
9. Something that encourages you to start something new (paragraph G)
Incentive
10. When a situation changes from bad to good (paragraph G)
Turnaround
11. The thing that keeps something strong, healthy and successful (paragraph H)
Lifeblood
12. When people work together to produce something (paragraph H)
Collaborative
13. Describe and explain something in clear language (paragraph H)
Articulate
14. Be known by everyone (paragraph H)
Become public knowledge
, 15. The opinion people have about how good or bad something is (paragraph H)
Reputation
16. A person or group that is involved in and can be affected by a particular organisation
(paragraph 1)
Stakeholder
NEGATIVE AND POSITIVE PHRASES
1. Find four phrases in 'The Problem' section which describe the negative aspects of cross-
border mergers.
2. Find at least four positive expressions and recommendations in John Schwarz's advice on
how to make cross-border mergers successful.
3. Find at least seven recommendations in Colette Hill's advice for helping cross border
mergers to work better.
VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT
1. The word cultural is used Five times in the article in combination with different nouns.
Find the phrases by matching the nouns to these definitions.
1. things that people discuss and that need to be dealt with cultural issues
2. when two or more groups do not think or behave in the same way cultural
differences
3. when things are done differently cultural changes
4. being aware of the feelings of others cultural sensitivity
5. things that causes trouble or difficulty cultural problems
2. What other phrases using cultural + noun can you think of?
Suggested answers: cultural identity, cultural diversity cultural heritage cultural
misunderstanding, cultural awareness, cultural perspective cultural challenge, cultural
adjustment
PREPOSITIONS
Complete these sentences using the prepositions in the box.
For from into on on
1. When a team works well, all the team members feel confident they can depend. On each
other.
2. Many cross-border mergers suffer from poor preparation concerning post-merger
integration.
3. A successful merger will draw on the best aspects of both merger partners.
4. In an international merger, it is vital to plan in advance how different cultures can best
work together rather than waiting for problems to arise.
5. Cultural differences can be a stimulus for creativity and new ways of thinking, so that
cultural issues can be turned into a source of competitive advantage.
