Postacquisition Boundary Spanning: A Relational Perspective on Integration

Abstract

Through a longitudinal, qualitative study, we explore how preexisting embedded relationships shape boundary-spanning actions in the postacquisition integration process. We examine the role of union representatives in the integration process and find that in our case, they are significant boundary spanners. They share knowledge, promote the acquisition, and mitigate conflicts both within and between the merging organizations. Their intra- and interorganizational preacquisition relationships are the contingencies for their boundary-spanning actions. Our study makes several contributions to the literature. First, we show how a set of actors, mostly ignored by the mergers and acquisitions literature, can play a key facilitating role in the integration process. Second, we extend the understanding of the autonomy-integration dilemma in the postacquisition integration literature by conceptualizing preexisting relationships as precursors to postacquisition boundary spanning. Third, we challenge the classical conception of relational inertia as a path-dependent hindrance by showing that preexisting relationships can be leveraged to facilitate postacquisition integration. Finally, we contribute to the boundary-spanning literature by identifying the nature of embedded preacquisition relationships as an important contingency to boundary-spanning actions in interorganizational encounters.

Labor‐Management Partnerships' Effects On Unionists' Interaction Networks: Evidence From Us Public Schools

“…We develop and test the hypothesis that stronger sitelevel LMPs increase union leaders' involvement in improvement-oriented communications between organizational work sites. We call these external interactions "boundary-spanning communications," consistent with previous scholarship (Colman and Rouzies 2019;McCarthy 2019). We also consider how LMPs affect internal (i.e., within-site) social processes in ways that help union leaders redistribute externally sourced information and resources more effectively.…”

“…relationships, built and maintained by union leaders that span organizational boundaries, and facilitate coordination and learning across worksites (Colman and Rouzies 2019;McCarthy 2019;Rouzies, Colman, and Angwin 2019;Rubinstein 2001). This limited research on value-adding union social processes has two focal points.…”

“…More recently, McCarthy (2019) found that union leaders' inter-unit networks increased innovation capacity at the worksite level by helping workers access know-how from other organization areas. Furthermore, studying the context of mergers and acquisitions, Colman and Rouzies (2019) found that union leaders' preexisting relationships mitigated conflict between merging organizations.…”

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