The authors analyze winning strategies at AOL, General Electric, Dell, Ford, Cisco Systems, and Vodaphone as well as failures at Coca Cola, Boeing, Union Pacific, Compaq, and Sunbeam. The result is "must" reading for operating managers at all levels, investment bankers, and mergers and acquisition specialists.

Reviews

Rating: 5 / 5
Date: 2002-03-04
Summary: "Solid advice yes, chaos no!"

I read everything I can get my hands on because I coach executives through mergers for a living. I would put this one on the "must read" list for anyone thinking about or going through a merger!

At first glance "chaos" in the title may be a little misleading. The advice that Grubb and Lamb dispense is not. The "Traditional Wisdom Traps" in Appendix G alone is worth the price of the book!

Rating: 5 / 5
Date: 2002-03-04
Summary: "Solid advice yes, chaos no!"

I read everything I can get my hands on because I coach executives through mergers for a living. I would put this one on the "must read" list for anyone thinking about or going through a merger!

At first glance "chaos" in the title may be a little misleading. But, the advice that Grubb and Lamb dispense is not. The "Traditional Wisdom Traps" in Appendix G alone is worth the price of the book!

Rating: 5 / 5
Date: 2002-03-04
Summary: "Not the same old change-management consultant hooey!"

Messrs Grubb & Lamb have given a refreshing angle on a subject that has received way too much of the same angle and no fresh perspectives. This very straightforward and well researched work is void of buzzwords and "7-step" processes so common in sponsored, self-promoting tomes. Although the book has its "six ways to profit" from m&a, it's thorough, well composed and unlike other m&a texts, gives those of us not going through a merger something to think about when our competitors are experiencing "merger chaos". This is a book I've gone back to several times and referenced its rich ideas as well as lengthy appendices of data. Highly recommend.

Rating: 3 / 5
Date: 2002-01-15
Summary: "Not a new idea, but good execution"

The authors do a fine job expanding on the ideas of others. Savvy executives have known about this for years. I recall an article in USA Today back in 1996 or 1997 about some consultants who were peddling the same idea as corporate judo or ju jitsu. So while the idea is not new, they've done a good job developing an approach to capitalize on the chaos following mergers.

Rating: 3 / 5
Date: 2001-05-09
Summary: "Not much new -- worthy of an article -- interesting spin"

I thought this book would provide thoughtful insights into defending one's market in the throes of consolidation. It has some good ideas and some flawed but it's not really a book's worth. Marketing due diligence, in which merging firms take a market-focused approach to consolidation has already been detailed at length by its developers -Clemente and Greenspan in "Winning at Mergers & Acquisitions" as well as in articles in HBR and M&A magazine. Grubb and Lamb recommend poaching employees and clients (magnet strategy) from firms in turmoil, which is a great idea but not really new. It's discussed in detail in "Five Frogs" by Feldman and Spratt, again from the standpoint of being a weakness to the acquired firm. Most importantly, Grubb and Lamb recommend using a survival threat to jump-start internal change. I've seen it work -- but it can also send employees running for the competition as they fear the loss of their own security. All in all, this book is mostly common sense. Much of the good, bad and ugly has already been written by the thoughtleaders in this field --Clemente/Greenspan, Marks/Mirvis, and Feldman/Spratt. Their strategies for planning, implementing and integrating acquisitions are both pioneering and time-tested. This book seems to have found a novel way to flip that knowledge bank on its head and give an outsider's viewpoint. The authors deserve credit for that. Lastly, the authors cite combining strategies as a strategy -- which I find a bit weak. 3 stars for a good idea.