Competence and community: post-acquisition learning processes in high-techcompanies

This paper builds on an observation study of the merger process between two high-tech companies. It contributes empirically by providing an account of the processes of learning and the emergence of strategies in the post-merg er phase; theoretically, by modelling the ways in which communities of prac tice (founded on collective competence and tacit knowledge) may undergo rap id change; and normatively, by providing a counter-example to the received wisdom of the strategy literature that merging companies should have comple mentary assets and competencies.