Building Trust in Mergers and Acquisitions : An Exploration of Key Factors

Abstract: Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) have been widely used as a key strategy for achieving corporate growth and market expansion. However, due to their complex and challenging nature, more than 60% of M&A transactions fail to create value and capture synergies. Hence, it is important to investigate and understand the factors that can contribute to the success and failure of these transactions. This thesis will shed light on one non-operating factor that is considered essential and influential in developing any business relationship and plays a crucial role in the success of M&A transactions, namely trust. The aim of the thesis is to draw on the organizational trust literature and explore factors that affect the process of building and maintaining trust between different parties involved in M&A transactions. Also, the thesis will examine the relationship between trust and organizational structure and discuss how decentralized and centralized structures affects and get affected by trust. In order to fulfill the aim, the study implements a qualitative approach to cope with the subjectivity of trust and to obtain a deeper understanding of the subject. Therefore, seven interviews with professionals with various roles have been conducted and the results were obtained by using a thematic analysis. Furthermore, the results are discussed and analyzed through the lenses of social capital theory, agency theory, information asymmetry theory, and institutional theory. The findings revealed five factors that can influence the process of building trust between buyers and sellers in M&A context namely personal relations, stereotypes, transparency, reputation, and corporate culture. Moreover, the findings highlight that the implementation of a decentralized organizational structure can have a positive effect on trust and minimize the overall uncertainties associated with M&A transactions. On the other hand, the findings suggest that the implementation of a centralized organizational structure can have a mixed effect on trust. In some cases, centralization can create a sense of stability and predictability and thereby minimize uncertainties and foster trust, while in othercases, centralization may lead to frustration and dissatisfaction, resulting in mistrust. The implications and limitations of the thesis are discussed and the need for further research is pointed out in order to improve the understanding of this complex and multifaceted concept.