Failed mergers and acquisitions are common to the point of cliché, but bad deals and poor strategic rationale do not explain the majority of failures. Instead, business leaders often blame poor planning and execution. How can organizations set up M&A post-merger integration for success?

We believe it starts with strategy. Better results can be achieved by linking the strategic logic of the deal to every part of the PMI plan. To do this, organizations should invest the time to fully understand the target and how it will integrate with the buyer to generate value.

Roland Berger's Business Essence framework is one tool to help frame and articulate what must be achieved strategically through the PMI. This paper focuses on how to design a strategy-led postmerger integration.

Core to the design and planning process is understanding the target and how best to integrate it to achieve the business' strategic goals. We show how the Roland Berger Essence Framework can be used as a foundation to comprehend the target model, the future business and guide the PMI along the integration process and in management of the strategic, synergy and tactical activities and priorities it must balance.

Roland Berger's Business Essence framework is one tool to help frame and articulate what must be achieved strategically through the PMI. This paper focuses on how to design a strategy-led postmerger integration.

Core to the design and planning process is understanding the target and how best to integrate it to achieve the business' strategic goals. We show how the Roland Berger Essence Framework can be used as a foundation to comprehend the target model, the future business and guide the PMI along the integration process and in management of the strategic, synergy and tactical activities and priorities it must balance.