Introduction: Current Trends in M&A Research

As many countries are emerging from the downturns of the last few years, the number of mergers and acquisitions (M&As) both domestically and internationally is growing exponentially. With the help of artificial intelligence and more sophisticated approaches to assessing and managing the M&A process, research into this field is becoming more sophisticated and nuanced. There is more concentration on green issues, leadership, social inequality, environmental, social and governance considerations, as well as more complicated modeling and buy-and-build strategies.

In the first chapter, Judith Ann Gebhardt explores the issue of leadership in the Pre-M&A phase. She first reviews research between 2000 and 2024 on 20 pre-merger M&A topics, and then examines the role of leaders and managers in the pre-merger phase. This provides a good overview of the gaps in research, where the science has focused in the past.