An Integrative Review of the Emerging Behavioral Acquisition Literature: Charting the Next Decade of Research

Abstract

Our review of acquisition research from the 2008-2018 period shows that a large and quickly growing portion of this work has focused on the behavioral aspects of acquisitions. Although this contemporary scholarship holds significant potential to advance our knowledge of acquisition processes and outcomes, because it has been scattered across a wide range of topics and levels, scholars have not yet systematically discussed and integrated the insights we have gained. The growing focus on the multidisciplinary aspects of strategic decisions exacerbates this challenge. In response, we provide a brief literature review of the behavioral acquisition literature, offer a comprehensive view of the state of knowledge in this area, and develop a research agenda capable of guiding researchers toward building a comprehensive understanding of the behavioral aspects of acquisitions. We also point to novel methods we feel will help scholars pursue under explored avenues offering the potential to further advance the study of acquisitions.