IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/kap/jmgtgv/v26y2022i4d10.1007_s10997-021-09586-6.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Managerial biases during a merger process in a government-controlled organization

Author

Listed:
  • Anne-Sophie Thelisson

    (Sciences and Humanities Confluence Research Center-UCLY, ESDES)

  • Olivier Meier

    (Paris Est University)

Abstract

This paper explores which managerial biases that are present during the negotiation period of a merger influence post-merger integration. With a longitudinal case study, this paper explores which managerial bias constituencies influence the integration process. The paper presents a longitudinal case study of a merger of two listed French companies. The data were collected from participant observation, interviews, and archival documentation over two years. The case involves retrospective (premerger negotiation period) and real-time (merger period) data. Our study reveals three managerial biases during the negotiation period: (1) Anchoring bias with availability bias: a disappointing past experience for the acquiring firm; (2) Temporal bias: temporal pressure on the CEO and stakeholders; (3) Hubris bias and brakes: schizophrenia/ambiguity from the leaders of the acquired company. We also identified two factors reinforcing these biases during the integration process: (1) Social pressure of a major project: Greater Paris; (2) Expert’s role: failure to take into account the contributions of the other company. The study provides insight into organizational change in a merger context. The study contributes to the merger literature by highlighting managerial biases and reinforcing mechanisms during negotiation and integration periods.

Suggested Citation

  • Anne-Sophie Thelisson & Olivier Meier, 2022. "Managerial biases during a merger process in a government-controlled organization," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 26(4), pages 1315-1338, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jmgtgv:v:26:y:2022:i:4:d:10.1007_s10997-021-09586-6
    DOI: 10.1007/s10997-021-09586-6
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10997-021-09586-6
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10997-021-09586-6?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Eero Vaara & Paulina Junni & Riikka M. Sarala & Mats Ehrnrooth & Alexei Koveshnikov, 2014. "Attributional Tendencies in Cultural Explanations of M&A Performance," Post-Print hal-02313178, HAL.
    2. Sefa Hayibor & David Wasieleski, 2009. "Effects of the Use of the Availability Heuristic on Ethical Decision-Making in Organizations," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 84(1), pages 151-165, January.
    3. Liu, Yipeng & Meyer, Klaus E., 2020. "Boundary spanners, HRM practices, and reverse knowledge transfer: The case of Chinese cross-border acquisitions," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 55(2).
    4. Klaus E. Meyer & Enese Lieb‐Dóczy, 2003. "Post‐Acquisition Restructuring as Evolutionary Process," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 40(2), pages 459-482, March.
    5. Meglio, Olimpia & Risberg, Annette, 2010. "Mergers and acquisitions--Time for a methodological rejuvenation of the field?," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 26(1), pages 87-95, March.
    6. Rikard Larsson & Sydney Finkelstein, 1999. "Integrating Strategic, Organizational, and Human Resource Perspectives on Mergers and Acquisitions: A Case Survey of Synergy Realization," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 10(1), pages 1-26, February.
    7. Schmidt, Sascha & Rühli, Edwin, 2002. "Prior Strategy Processes as a Key to Understanding Mega-mergers:: The Novartis Case," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 20(3), pages 223-234, June.
    8. Melissa E. Graebner & Koen H. Heimeriks & Quy N. Huy & Eero Vaara, 2017. "The Process of Postmerger Integration : A Review and Agenda for Future Research," Post-Print hal-02276670, HAL.
    9. Meissner, Philip & Wulf, Torsten, 2017. "The effect of cognitive diversity on the illusion of control bias in strategic decisions: An experimental investigation," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 35(4), pages 430-439.
    10. Laurence Capron, 1999. "The long‐term performance of horizontal acquisitions," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 20(11), pages 987-1018, November.
    11. Michel W. Lander & Linda Kooning, 2013. "Boarding the Aircraft: Trust Development Amongst Negotiators of a Complex Merger," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 50(1), pages 1-30, January.
    12. Michel Barabel & Olivier Meier, 2002. "Biais cognitifs du dirigeant, conséquences et facteurs de renforcement lors de fusions-acquisitions:synthèse et illustrations," Revue Finance Contrôle Stratégie, revues.org, vol. 5(1), pages 5-42, March.
    13. Ahammad, Mohammad Faisal & Tarba, Shlomo Y. & Liu, Yipeng & Glaister, Keith W. & Cooper, Cary L., 2016. "Exploring the factors influencing the negotiation process in cross-border M&A," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 25(2), pages 445-457.
    14. Baker, Malcolm & Pan, Xin & Wurgler, Jeffrey, 2012. "The effect of reference point prices on mergers and acquisitions," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 106(1), pages 49-71.
    15. Carole Donada & Henri Dekker & Caroline Mothe & Gwenaelle Nogatchewsky, 2019. "Boundary spanner relational behavior and inter-organizational control in supply chain relationships," Post-Print hal-02105185, HAL.
    16. Michael L. McDonald & James D. Westphal & Melissa E. Graebner, 2008. "What do they know? The effects of outside director acquisition experience on firm acquisition performance," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(11), pages 1155-1177, November.
    17. Pamela R. Haunschild & Alison Davis-Blake & Mark Fichman, 1994. "Managerial Overcommitment in Corporate Acquisition Processes," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 5(4), pages 528-540, November.
    18. Mariusz Bratnicki & Wojciech Dyduch, 2020. "Understanding Cognitive Biases in Strategic Decisions for Value Creation and Capture," Springer Proceedings in Business and Economics, in: Agnieszka Zakrzewska-Bielawska & Iwona Staniec (ed.), Contemporary Challenges in Cooperation and Coopetition in the Age of Industry 4.0, chapter 0, pages 359-373, Springer.
    19. T.K. Das & Bing‐Sheng Teng, 1999. "Cognitive Biases and Strategic Decision Processes: An Integrative Perspective," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(6), pages 757-778, November.
    20. Thomas Straub, 2007. "Reasons for Frequent Failure in Mergers and Acquisitions," Springer Books, Springer, number 978-3-8350-9637-0, November.
    21. Michel Barabel, 2002. "Biais cognitifs du dirigeant, conséquences et facteurs de renforcement lors de fusions-acquisitions : synthèses et illustrations," Post-Print hal-00155439, HAL.
    22. Markku Kaustia & Eeva Alho & Vesa Puttonen, 2008. "How Much Does Expertise Reduce Behavioral Biases? The Case of Anchoring Effects in Stock Return Estimates," Financial Management, Financial Management Association International, vol. 37(3), pages 391-412, September.
    23. Matthew T. Billett & Yiming Qian, 2008. "Are Overconfident CEOs Born or Made? Evidence of Self-Attribution Bias from Frequent Acquirers," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 54(6), pages 1037-1051, June.
    24. Andrew H. van de Ven & George P. Huber, 1990. "Longitudinal Field Research Methods for Studying Processes of Organizational Change," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 1(3), pages 213-219, August.
    25. Taco H. Reus & Bruce T. Lamont & Kimberly M. Ellis, 2016. "A darker side of knowledge transfer following international acquisitions," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 37(5), pages 932-944, May.
    26. Michel Lander & Linda Kooning, 2013. "Boarding the Aircraft: Trust Development Amongst Negotiators of a Complex Merger," Post-Print hal-00772063, HAL.
    27. Melissa E. Graebner & Koen H. Heimeriks & Quy N. Huy & Eero Vaara, 2017. "The Process of Postmerger Integration : A Review and Agenda for Future Research," Post-Print hal-02311973, HAL.
    28. Eero Vaara & Paulina Junni & Riikka M. Sarala & Mats Ehrnrooth & Alexei Koveshnikov, 2014. "Attributional tendencies in cultural explanations of M&A performance," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 35(9), pages 1302-1317, September.
    29. Taher Hamza, 2011. "Determinants of short-term value creation for the bidder: evidence from France," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 15(2), pages 157-186, May.
    30. Günter K. Stahl & Duncan N. Angwin & Philippe Very & Emanuel Gomes & Yaakov Weber & Shlomo Yedidia Tarba & Niels Noorderhaven & Haim Benyamini & Dave Bouckenooghe & Samia Chreim & Muriel Durand & Méla, 2013. "Sociocultural Integration in Mergers and Acquisitions: Unresolved Paradoxes and Directions for Future Research," Post-Print halshs-00862249, HAL.
    31. repec:dau:papers:123456789/3387 is not listed on IDEAS
    32. Olimpia Meglio & Svante Schriber, 2020. "Mergers and Acquisitions," Springer Books, Springer, number 978-3-030-40459-8, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Teerikangas, Satu & Colman, Helene Loe, 2020. "Theorizing in the qualitative study of mergers & acquisitions," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 36(1).
    2. Wang, Daojuan & Hain, Daniel S. & Larimo, Jorma & Dao, Li T., 2020. "Cultural differences and synergy realization in cross-border acquisitions," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 29(3).
    3. Colman, Helene Loe, 2020. "Facilitating integration and maintaining autonomy: The role of managerial action and interaction in post-acquisition cabability transfer," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 109(C), pages 148-160.
    4. Zhang, Xiaotao & Liu, Yipeng & Tarba, Shlomo Y. & Giudice, Manlio Del, 2020. "The micro-foundations of strategic ambidexterity: Chinese cross-border M&As, Mid-View thinking and integration management," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 29(6).
    5. Degbey, William Y. & Pelto, Elina, 2021. "Customer knowledge sharing in cross-border mergers and acquisitions: The role of customer motivation and promise management," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 27(4).
    6. Smeulders, Dieter & Dekker, Henri C. & Van den Abbeele, Alexandra, 2023. "Post-acquisition integration: Managing cultural differences and employee resistance using integration controls," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 107(C).
    7. Gudmundsson, Sveinn Vidar & Merkert, Rico & Redondi, Renato, 2020. "Cost structure effects of horizontal airline mergers and acquisitions," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 136-144.
    8. Bauer, Florian & King, David & Matzler, Kurt, 2016. "Speed of acquisition integration: Separating the role of human and task integration," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 32(3), pages 150-165.
    9. Ai, Qi & Tan, Hui, 2020. "Uncovering neglected success factors in post-acquisition reverse capability transfer: Evidence from Chinese multinational corporations in Europe," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 55(3).
    10. Meglio, Olimpia & Risberg, Annette, 2011. "The (mis)measurement of M&A performance—A systematic narrative literature review," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 27(4), pages 418-433.
    11. Qi Ai & Hui Tan, 2018. "The intra-firm knowledge transfer in the outward M&A of EMNCs: Evidence from Chinese manufacturing firms," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 35(2), pages 399-425, June.
    12. Campagnolo, Diego & Vincenti, Giampiero, 2022. "Cross-border M&As: The impact of cultural friction and CEO change on the performance of acquired companies," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 28(4).
    13. Teerikangas, Satu & Thanos, Ioannis C., 2018. "Looking into the ‘black box’ – unlocking the effect of integration on acquisition performance," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 36(3), pages 366-380.
    14. Helene Loe Colman & Audrey Rouzies, 2018. "Postacquisition Boundary Spanning: A Relational Perspective on Integration," Post-Print hal-03279605, HAL.
    15. Ostapchuk, Igor & Gagalyuk, Taras & Curtiss, Jarmila, 2021. "Post-acquisition integration and growth of farms: the case of Ukrainian agroholdings," International Food and Agribusiness Management Review, International Food and Agribusiness Management Association, vol. 24(4), April.
    16. Gerard P. Hodgkinson & Barbara Burkhard & Nicolai J. Foss & Dietmar Grichnik & Riikka M. Sarala & Yi Tang & Marc Van Essen, 2023. "The Heuristics and Biases of Top Managers: Past, Present, and Future," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 60(5), pages 1033-1063, July.
    17. Chen, Feiqiong & Liu, Huiqian & Ge, Yuhao, 2021. "How does integration affect industrial innovation through networks in technology-sourcing overseas M&A? A comparison between China and the US," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 281-292.
    18. Xiao, Jing, 2018. "Post-acquisition dynamics of technology start-ups: drawing the temporal boundaries of post-acquisition restructuring process," Papers in Innovation Studies 2018/12, Lund University, CIRCLE - Centre for Innovation Research.
    19. Strobl, Andreas & Bauer, Florian & Matzler, Kurt, 2020. "The impact of industry-wide and target market environmental hostility on entrepreneurial leadership in mergers and acquisitions," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 55(2).
    20. Simon Segal & James Guthrie & Johannes Dumay, 2021. "Stakeholder and merger and acquisition research: a structured literature review," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 61(2), pages 2935-2964, June.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:kap:jmgtgv:v:26:y:2022:i:4:d:10.1007_s10997-021-09586-6. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.