Mergers and acquisitions play a critical part in a corporation's survival, growth, and profit strategies.  Many great companies were built on a track record of mergers and acquisitions; they include G.E., Thompson, Alcan and Power Financial.  Merger activity in Canada is at its highest level ever in Canada; therefore, HR professionals should add the ability to manage a merger as part of their skill set.

1.    Select 2 organizations that tried to merge and failed and 2 organizations that achieved a successful merger.

2.    Identify and explain why the 2 organizations that your team selected failed to merge.

3.    Identify and explain how the 2 organizations that your team selected achieved a successful merger.

4.    Identify and explain the financial and human impacts of the successful mergers chosen by your team.

5.    Describe the issues involved in blending the cultures of the 2 organizations that achieved successful mergers chosen by your team.

6.    Discuss how the successful mergers that your team chose affected the following areas of HR;

• HR planning
• Selection
• Compensation
• Performance Appraisal
• Training and Development
• Labour Relations