INFORMATION-SYSTEMS INTEGRATION IN MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS - A NORMATIVE MODEL

The role of Information Systems in Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) beco mes increasingly important as the need for speed of reaction and infor mation is growing. A model for IS integration in M&A is presented; thi s includes the categories and strategic objectives of external growth as well as consideration of the possible choices for the hardware and software configuration after completion of the M&A. The basic variable s of the model are defined and the possible IS integration strategies are classified in a matrix having, as dimensions, the software configu ration and the computer architecture. The IS integration model resulti ng from these basic elements is divided into a descriptive model and a decision support model: the first one shows the relations among the i nvolved variables, while the second provides a practical tool for deci sion-making. Both these models have been tested with a survey guided b y a questionnaire; Factor Analysis was used to analyze the results. (C ) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.