Meeting the Merger Integration Challenge with Management Development

Mergers and managerial development are reshaping the contemporary corporate world. Management development can be used to reduce resistance to the merger and assist in the process of building a positive blended corporate culture. The successful merger of Allied‐Signal and Bendix Corporations is described. Key techniques included the use of an integration task force of high level executives from both companies, the use of outside consulting firms to assess and recommend consolidation efforts, cross‐sector developmental experiences for high potential managers, feedback from morale surveys and an integrated series of management development programmes. General recommendations are to sell the concept of management development to the workforce, to involve line managers and to check recommendations for objectivity. Outside expertise should be utilised, but should not be totally depended on. Quality must be the major objective.