..., research remains scarce on legitimation in an M&A context, especially in public–private mergers. Longitudinal case study CSR Integration Mergers Numerous studies demonstrate the specific role of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the legitimation process in the context of M...

... and exploit. Design/methodology/approach The paper presents a longitudinal case study of a public-private merger of two listed French companies. The data were collected from participant observation, interviews and archival documentation over two years. Findings The balance between autonomy and control...