ORGANIZATIONAL MARRIAGE - HARD VERSUS SOFT ISSUES

Discusses the substantial increase in merger and acquisition (M & A) activity domestically and internationally, during the 1980s which, in contrast to previous waves of M & A activity, involved organizational marriages between organizations in the same area of business activity. As a result, merger synergy has become increasingly dependent on the wide-scale integration of people and their organizational cultures. Examines the potential role played by people, the so-called soft issues in merger success. Argues that this distinction between ''hard'' (financial and strategic) and ''soft'' issues is unhelpful in reaching any complete understanding of such complex phenomenon.