Firm vs. Individuals: The Case of an Acquisition of TTPCom and Motorola

For nearly half a century scholars and practitioners have been looking for an integrative theory to expand the success of Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A). Most research, however, reports that M&A's are invariably unable to live up to their expected value. This research reviewed acquisitions of technology based firms and identified the most significant factors affecting their desire to follow M&A as an exit strategy as well as its impact and results. The case study presented is one of a number of cases collected from technology startups acquired between 2000 and 2005 in the ICT sector. Using semi structured interviews, observations and secondary sources the case provides rich details of the acquisition and its outcomes. The conceptual framework that guided the original study integrated a wide range of theories, including those of strategic management, M&A in general, organizational studies, international business management and technology management. The key finding highlights the importance of the individual verses the firm as a variable both in research as well as when approaching M&A scenarios in industry.