M&A Integration, the Art and Science of Decision Making

High speed, high number and high quality decisions are key during M&A integration

Decisions have multiple drivers, enablers, and outcomes. M&A has higher velocity decisions than any other business situation.

M&A Integration is an extraordinarily complex activity attributed to multiple functions, personnel, products, geographies, customers, unique nuances, dependencies, risks, and the sheer volume of tasks to be executed. Brining all this together requires several decisions to be made in quick order. Decision making is part art and part science, seasoned M&A integration professionals understand the four Vs surrounding good decision making i.e., volume, velocity, value, and variety. How, when and where these integration related decisions are made can affect the end state of the integration and value creation from the transaction.

In a recent survey I conducted, approximately 100 M&A integration leaders were interviewed, here are insights from it:

61% believed slow speed or lack of decisions created sub-optimal value from the deal.

43% shared concerns about the quality of decision making.

34% believed slower speed of decision-making affected synergies.