The Art of M&A Strategy: A Guide to Building Your Company’s Future Through Mergers, Acquisitions, and Divestitures

Ken Smith has practiced as a strategy consultant for more than 25 years, initially with McKinsey & Company and most recently with SECOR Consulting, where he was also a managing partner and chair. He is an associate professor at the University of Guelph and associate dean of executive programs in the university's College of Management and Economics.
Alexandra Reed Lajoux , chief knowledge officer at the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD), has three decades of experience in business information and has served as editor for Directors & Boards , Mergers & Acquisitions , and Export Today . She is the author or coauthor of all books to date in McGraw-Hill's acclaimed Art of M&A series.

Seize the competitive advantage with today's most powerful strategic tool-M&A

" Given the influence of technology, globalization, and regulatory change, M&A will continue to shape our industries. For most companies, therefore, the consideration of M&A in strategy is now fundamental. "
-from the Introduction to Part I

The Art of M&A Strategy is exactly what you need to build mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures into your overall business strategy-to make M&A a competitive advantage and avoid landing on the long list of M&A failures.

Experts in the field of M&A, Smith and Lajoux demystify this otherwise complex subject by taking you through the types of M&A strategy and the key steps to successful M&A strategy development and implementation. The Art of M&A Strategy is conveniently organized into three sections:

Part I presents a range of possible corporate strategy situations and provides the role and rationale for M&A in each, such as building and managing a portfolio, participating in industry consolidation, spurring corporate growth, and using acquisitions to create "real options."
Part II outlines how to determine the role of M&A in your strategy-taking into consideration industry context, competitive imperatives, and strategy options-and explains how to find and screen partners, decide whether to buy or sell, and engage the board of directors in M&A decisions.
Part III covers M&A as a sustained corporate program, particularly in the context of international growth, outlining the most strategic aspects of post-merger integration, describing how to use advisors throughout the process, and examining core competencies required for successful M&A programs.
The authors illuminate the purpose and process of applying M&A with real-world success stories involving Cisco, GE, Google, and many other companies that have leveraged M&A for strategic success. Use The Art of M&A Strategy to create a powerful strategy position for success in today's changing business environment and to seize and hold competitive advantage.

The latest edition in the highly successful Art of M&A series! This is the essential business leader s guide for using mergers and acquisitions to compete in a time of endless corporate restructuring driven by rapid globalization, technological advances, and dramatic changes in public policy.

Seize the competitive advantage with today's most powerful strategic tool: mergers and acquisitions

Part I How M&A Creates Value in StrategyChapter 1 Building and Managing a Portfolio of BusinesseChapter 2 Consolidation: Value in Cost SynergiesChapter 3 Expansion Strategy: Value in Revenue GrowthChapter 4 Real Options in M&APart II Development and Execution of M&A StrategyChapter 5 M&A in Strategic PlanningChapter 6 Searching, Screening, and SelectionChapter 7 To Be a Buyer or a Seller?Chapter 8 The Director's Role in M&APART III When the M&A Program is Central to StrategyChapter 9 Global Industry RestructuringChapter 10 The Role of Postmerger Integration in M&A StrategyChapter 11 Building a Sustainable M&A Program with the Help of AdvisorsChapter 12 M&A as a Core CompetenceConclusionAppendix I.1 On the Success and Failure of Major DealsAppendix II.1 Suggested Readings in Strategy and Strategic Planning MethodologiesAppendix II.2 Wheel of Opportunity/Fit Chart with Illustrative Delphi ScoringAppendix II.3 Information Sources and Tips for Target ScreeningAppendix II.4 NACD Guidance on the Board's Role in M&A and StrategyAppendix III.1 Public Policy and Corporate Growth: Selected SECOR Consulting Case Studies Regarding the Role of Public Policy in International M&AIndex