Thirty-three years after “Managing Acquisitions” reflections, insights, and research directions

More than three decades have passed since Haspeslagh and Jemison’s seminal book “Managing Acquisitions” was published. Yet, its impact is as alive and vibrant in scholarly work as it is in executive practice. In this essay, we look back to reflect on the book’s contributions and look forward to identify open research directions. We recognize five topic areas in which the book made substantial contributions, i.e. sources of value, decision-making, integration, learning to make acquisitions and strategic assembly. We then reveal how subsequent work has built upon the book, developing additional insights into each of these topic domains. Finally, we point out specific research themes that we believe offer a promising and exciting route forward for scholars, practitioners and policymakers in the wider domain of corporate strategy and development.