Playing Politics: An Upper Echelons Perspective on Political Behaviour During Acquisition Decision Making

In this research, the authors  examine how political behaviors among senior executives impact acquisition decisions. We find that individual motivations, power dynamics, and personal agendas often influence acquisition outcomes, potentially overshadowing objective strategic goals. For managers, the key takeaway is the importance of recognizing and managing these political behaviors to ensure acquisition decisions align with the organization’s long-term strategic interests rather than personal gains.

Explore how the shared understanding of “who knows what” impact acquisition success.

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The founders, Mai Anh Dao and Florian Bauer, view target screening as the central strategic task of corporate development, one in which control, transparency, and traceability are crucial.

Financial figures are not, as usual, the sole search criteria but merely serve as selection criteria.