Abstract
In this paper, we propose the paradox of preparation as a salient dilemma facing IT organizations in firms anticipating acquisitions or acquisition activity. The paradox of preparation originates in the need to start preparations for post-acquisition IS integration long before the legal combination is concluded, and the contradictory observation that only after the deal is concluded will it be known to the acquirer what they should have prepared for. Based on an in-depth, explorative study of how a large multi-national company prepared for an anticipated and later enacted acquisition with another large multi-national company, we develop a process theory depicting how this paradoxical tension impacts IS integration preparation activities in the period leading up to the acquisition. Initially, preparations are based on assumptions about the future challenge. As assumptions are confirmed or rejected, focus of preparation activities are recurrently revised. To handle uncertainty of assumptions, the firm actively considered the scope of possibilities and the universality of activities to manage the paradox of preparation.
Original language | English |
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Title of host publication | Proceedings of the 20th IEEE International Conference on Business Informatics. CBI 2018 : Volume 1 Research papers |
Editors | Henderik A. Proper, Stefan Strecker, Christian Huemer |
Number of pages | 10 |
Place of Publication | Los Alamitos, CA |
Publisher | IEEE |
Publication date | 2018 |
Pages | 50-59 |
Article number | 8452658 |
ISBN (Print) | 9781538670163 |
ISBN (Electronic) | 9781538670163 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2018 |
Event | The 20th Conference on Business Informatics. CBI 2018 - Vienna, Austria Duration: 11 Jul 2018 → 14 Jul 2018 Conference number: 20 https://cbi2018.big.tuwien.ac.at/ |
Conference
Conference | The 20th Conference on Business Informatics. CBI 2018 |
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Number | 20 |
Country/Territory | Austria |
City | Vienna |
Period | 11/07/2018 → 14/07/2018 |
Internet address |
Series | IEEE Conference Series on Business Informatics |
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ISSN | 2378-1971 |
Keywords
- Mergers and acquisitions
- Preparation activities
- Information systems integration
- Integration method