Many M&A deals fall short of expectations by underestimating technology implications

During post-merger integration, one of the key technical areas that often gets overlooked is consolidation of the two companies’ business-critical applications, in particular ERP (enterprise resource planning), to support the combined entity. Mergers and acquisitions aim to create a source of competitive advantage. The right strategy for combining operating environments, including the integration of ERP, sets the direction for weaving the two organizations together in a way that accelerates the desired synergies and provides the market edge they seek.

The key factors to determining the right ERP integration approach are the following:

• Aligning to M&A vision and value drivers
• Paving the way with good due diligence
• Tailoring based on thorough understanding of IT landscapes
• Balancing transition and transformation through M&A

Fortune favors the prepared; early attention to ERP integration accelerates and enhances synergy realization.