In 2015, global M&A volume exceeded $4.25 trillion, a new record. Yet the failure rate for M&A deals is alarmingly high—as it has been for decades. A recent Harvard Business Review article said 70—90% of M&A deals are "abysmal failures," and a survey from Deloitte reveals 90% of executives felt M&A transactions did not generate the expected value or ROI. What is the explanation for this perpetual chasm between expectations and reality? Many executives point to the complexities of IT integration as the root cause of M&A failure. Industry experts seem to concur, having investigated this topic in countless articles, white papers, and conferences. Yet the high failure rates persist. It's time to consider a new strategy for M&A success. We need an approach that focuses not on integration itself but on the intended result of integration—in a word, transparency. Read more.
