This book takes a fresh perspective to acquisition research, focusing on employee emotions. It builds on the human-centric approach to mergers and acquisitions, where previous literature has concluded that emotions are important, yet few studies have explored them in depth. To fill the gap, this book takes emotion research in organizations as its starting point, exploring what emotions are, how they emerge, and how they influence organizational contexts, such as acquisitions. Whereas previous acquisition literature has concluded that emotions are most often negative and lead to complications, this book shows how emotions can become a positive force driving post-acquisition change and unification. This book combines multidisciplinary theoretical insights with practical real-world case studies to provide detailed analysis and approachable findings that will appeal to academics and practitioners alike.

Taking a fresh and much-needed perspective on the management of international acquisitions, this book focuses on socio-cultural integration, and in particular the importance of emotions and values. The authors build on the human-centric and typically Nordic approach to mergers and acquisitions by presenting rich empirical cases of cross-border acquisitions conducted by leading Nordic multinationals. This book goes beyond merely stating that successful human integration leads to sociocultural convergence and presents how this can actually be accomplished. The authors offer theoretical approaches and practical solutions which have the potential of improving employee motivation and well-being, and in doing so, ultimately enhancing the chances of successful acquisition outcomes. Providing concrete examples of successful practices for managing socio-cultural integration and facilitating employee commitment, this book will appeal to both scholarly and practitioner audiences.