The objective of this article is to elucidate how justice in general and distributive justice in particular are given sense to and made sense of in postmerger integration. Drawing on a longitudinal real-time analysis of a recent merger, we identify a pattern in which focus moved from equality to eqnity to less emphasis on distributive justice. To understand tbe dynamics involved, we develop a process model that explains bow actors reconcile pressures of value creation and sociopolitical concerns in dialogical "sensegiving" and "sensemaking" processes tbat lead to tbe enactment of specific norms of justice. Tbis analysis adds to researcb on mergers and acquisitions by facilitating understanding of the crucial role tbat norms of justice play in postmerger integration, of tbe way in wbich tbey cbange over time as integration processes unfold, and of tbe intergroup dynamics throngb wbicb tbese norms of justice are enacted. By uncovering the microdynamics of dialogical sensegiving and sensemaking processes, we also contribute to research on organizational justice, sensemaking, and process studies. Organizational justice plays a central role in mergers and acquisitions (M&As). This is especially the case with postmerger integration, which involves changes that are often difficult to understand or accept in their own right (Clark, Gioia,

In this paper, we focus on the role of language in cross-border mergers and acquisitions and explore how organization members' language skills, or fluency, in the adopted lingua franca may impact their reactions to a merger. Drawing on a qualitative study of the post-merger integration between a French and Dutch airline where English was adopted as a lingua franca, we illustrate how language fluency influences the ability of individuals to give meaning to their changed circumstances. Moreover, we elaborate on how language fluency indexes social groupings and identities, and may thus be a driver of perceptions of status inequality and identity politics between different groups of employees. With our study we draw attention to the multi-faceted role of English as a lingua franca. Our findings also contribute to research on sociocultural dynamics associated with post-merger integration and the role of language in mergers and acquisitions, as well as in multinational companies more generally.

Integration processes after mergers are fraught with difficulties, and constitute a main cause of merger failure. This study focuses on the human aspect of post-merger integration, and in particular, on the role of occupational identification. We theorize and empirically demonstrate by means of a survey design that employees’ identification with their occupation is positively related to their willingness to cooperate in the post-merger integration process, over and above the effect of organization members’ organizational identification. This positive effect of occupational identification is stronger for uniformed personnel but attenuates in the course of the integration process. Qualitative interviews further explore and interpret the results from our statistical analysis. Together, these findings have important practical implications and suggest future research directions.

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