Forget it! Exploring the Role of Organizational Unlearning in Post-Acquisition Integration

This conceptual paper aims at exploring the role of organizational unlearning in postacquisition integration. While M&A are frequently pursued for learning and knowledge acquisition motives, they often fall short of delivering on the initial promises due to failures in post-acquisition integration. Previous research unfolded that post-acquisition performance depends on the organizational fit between two organizations. Yet, we know relatively little about how the integration of the acquired firm has to be managed in order to overcome problems of organizational fit. Therefore, we investigate the role of organizational unlearning in reconciling organizational misfit in post-acquisition integration. Our arguments suggest that especially in cases of fundamental differences in belief systems organizational unlearning fosters postacquisition performance and knowledge transfer.