The value of learning and experience ; how serial acquirers in norway utilize learning and experience to mitigate barriers to synergy realization

Abstract

This thesis presents an overview of how serial acquirers utilize learning and experience to mitigate barriers to synergy realization. The paper examines nine serial acquirers in Norway, through semi-structured in-depth interviews, using a grounded theory approach. Our findings show that firms do indeed learn. The serial acquirers in this study utilize their ability to learn by centralizing their knowledge into teams and departments, having extensive amounts of codified knowledge that is being developed over time, and develop strategies and activities to deal with the known risks and barriers to synergy realization based on their experiences. New acquisitions bring new experiences into the firms, restarting the cycle, where the firms would further develop their codified material and update their processes. Based on our findings; this seems to increase the success of later acquisitions. This thesis contributes to the literature on serial acquirers by taking a new approach to how serial acquiring learn, and how this knowledge is further developed to improve future processes.