The Mergers and Acquisitions Ecosystem Actors, Roles, Resources and Values

This forward-thinking book synthesizes mergers and acquisitions research with scholarship on service ecosystems to examine the concept of mergers and acquisitions ecosystems. Establishing a dialogue at the nexus of these two fields, Maria Colurcio and Olimpia Meglio explore the application of service ecosystem actors, resource integration and institutional arrangements to the study of acquisition processes.

Colurcio and Meglio theorise a unifying framework that extends beyond the acquiring firm to present a more inclusive understanding of the actors engaged in acquisitions. In doing so, they connect with emerging contributions in service research that emphasise value-in-context, actor engagement and multi-level value co-creation dynamics. They argue that the service ecosystem lens provides a more comprehensive view of acquisitions and allows for a more profound appreciation of their implications at the individual, organisational and societal levels of analysis. The book builds the foundation for conceptualising mergers and acquisitions as ecosystemic processes that emphasise networks and relationships.

Combining conceptual development with empirical illustrations, The Mergers and Acquisitions Ecosystem contains invaluable insights for scholars and students of business, strategic management and service ecosystems. Mergers and acquisitions teams will also benefit from this fresh perspective for understanding the acquisitions process.

Maria Colurcio, Full Professor, University of Magna Graecia and Olimpia Meglio, Associate Professor of Management, University of Naples Federico II, Italy