Control Mechanisms in Cross-border Acquisitions: An International Comparison
- 1 May 1994
- journal article
- research article
- Published by SAGE Publications in Organization Studies
- Vol. 15 (3), 361-379
- https://doi.org/10.1177/017084069401500303
Abstract
This paper analyzes the influence of national culture on the integration mechan isms exercised in international acquisitions. The study of 75 international acquisi tions in Europe (France and the United Kingdom) shows that firms are influenced by their national administrative heritage when they acquire companies abroad. For instance, the French exercise higher formal control of the strategy and the operations, and lower informal control through teamwork than the Americans when they buy firms in the United Kingdom. The Americans exercise higher formal control through procedures than the British when they buy firms in France. As some of these aspects of control were found to be linked with the attitudinal and/or economic performance of the acquired company, we argue that being conscious of the influence of a national administrative heritage should help anticipate cultural problems in the integration process following international acquisitions.This publication has 32 references indexed in Scilit:
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