Danubius International Conferences, 22nd EMAN Conference. Social Responsibility and Sustainability Accounting-Key Corporate Performance Drivers and Measures

Post-merger integration of the human capital: controversies and possible solutions

George Marian Aevoae, Roxana Manuela Dicu, Daniela Neonila Mardiros
Last modified: 2018-04-05

Abstract

In the current context of climate change, economic development, increased attention to human rights or other social causes, employees, in their capacity as human capital, have a high priority. The economic crisis has led to the review of corporate responsibility, especially in companies where social responsibility has not been based on sound principles of organization, coordination and monitoring. Once a target firm is bought or two companies merge, the most difficult job of the acquirer begins: to create the value that was expected from the deal through successful integration of the companies’ employees. As a part of the acquirer’s strategy, optimizing the human resources management is an important part of the post-merger integration of the two companies (the acquiring company and the target company). The purpose of the paper is to present a conceptual framework for the configuration of the human resources after the concentration, including the impact of human resources management on knowledge sharing. In this respect, we will consider the employees from three perspectives: stage I – employees are seen as corporate costs (salaries and other incentives, which are correctly and nondiscriminatory offered); stage II – employees are seen as assets of the newly formed company (investments in lifelong learning); stage III – employees are seen as business partners (the integration between personal and professional life; self improvement). All these stages must be considered in relation to the psychological and operational synergies that are expected to be gained using human capital, by integrating two previously separate organizations and facilitate communication.