How a merger in the operational combination stage affects employee motivation : A quantitative case study of a Swedish professional service firm

Abstract: This paper aims to examine how employee motivation is affected during the operational combination stage of a merger between two relatively small Swedish professional service firms. This is done through a quantitative study conducted by examining the relationship between employee motivation and three approaches; social identity, role conflict and acculturation. Those approaches were first by themselves tested in order to examine the relationship between their respective indicators that represent respective approach. The main result of this study is that the three approaches have a positive significant impact on employee motivation. Therefore, it is important for the professional service firm to take those variables into consideration when formulating future strategies and when trying to improve the organizational climate.