M&A's influence on the positioning of product architecture

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26380483
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Management
• Research Institution: Jissen Women's University
• Principal Investigator: Shinozaki Kaori 実践女子大学, 人間社会学部, 准教授 (50362017)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): NAGATA Akiya 九州大学, 経済学研究院, 教授 (50303342)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: M&A / 製品アーキテクチャ / 組織能力 / ポジショニング / 企業成長

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Compatibility between organizational capability and product architecture has been shown to give rise to competitive advantage. Through the case study, this research aims to show to what extent M&A is effective in enabling the acquirer firm to realize this compatibility and thereby achieve competitive advantages.
It is shown that M&A brings about changes to product positioning by modifying the product architecture when the following conditions are met: (1) the acquirer firm sets out a clear vision and ensures; (2) the acquirer does not impose strict control but shows an attitude of learning together; (3) close cooperation between the target and acquirer; (4) relatedness of the acquirer's and target's R&D; (5) absorptive capacity and product development performance in acquire.

Free Research Field

イノベーション・マネジメント