Chapter 1: Pre-M&A “Leadership” Eight Years Later: How Has Behavioral Due Diligence Faired?

This chapter begins with a brief inquiry and introduction followed by a review related to merger and acquisition (M&A) constructs which includes the process, definitions such as behavior due diligence (BDD), and added value. As the area of pre-merger M&As continues to be understudied and a significant factor in ultimately driving failure (or success), a review and update of the current state of affairs sets the stage for a quantitative Web of Science database search. After a brief presentation on database search directions a report of 20 pre-merger M&A topic searches, spanning two time periods (2000–2016 and 2017–2024) follows. Next, a brief literature review and synopsis of earlier work addressing M&A, BDD, and leaders and managers precedes a literature review on the “current state of affairs years later” which includes a number of areas that merit attention in the pre-M&A phase. This chapter will close with a conclusion and recommendations of “going forward.”