Joining Forces: Making One Plus One Equal Three in Mergers, Acquisitions, and Alliances

Chapter VI. Putting Companies Together: The Transition Structure

A transition structure focuses executive time and talent on finding and mining the strategic synergies of a combination. This is a temporary—but formal—system that sometimes starts prior to a deal's legal close and continues from three months to up to a year afterward to provide for coordination and support during implementation of plans. Why is this so important? In the best-conceived and best-managed transitions, this is where "theoretical" synergies are tested and transformed into real ones. However, simply putting people into transition management positions does not by itself keep a combination on a successful course. You need a well-designed structure, able leadership ...