Title: Competence and community: post-acquisition learning processes in high-tech companies

Authors: Kristian Kreiner, Kristina Lee

Addresses: Copenhagen Business School, Department of Organisation and Industrial Sociology, Solbjerg Plads 3, DK-2000 Frederiksberg, Denmark. Copenhagen Business School, Department of Organisation and Industrial Sociology, Solbjerg Plads 3, DK-2000 Frederiksberg, Denmark

Abstract: This paper builds on an observation study of the merger process between two high-tech companies. It contributes empirically by providing an account of the processes of learning and the emergence of strategies in the post-merger phase: theoretically, by modelling the ways in which communities of practice (founded on collective competence and tacit knowledge) may undergo rapid change; and normatively, by providing a counter-example to the received wisdom of the strategy literature that merging companies should have complementary assets and competencies.

Keywords: strategic turnaround; community of practice; mergers and acquisitions; competence; learning; management of technology.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTM.2000.002886

International Journal of Technology Management, 2000 Vol.20 No.5/6/7/8, pp.657-669

Published online: 07 Jul 2003 *

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