I think you bring up a very valid point in that lack of implementation or follow through contributes toward failure rates of M&As. As we witnessed in the lessons, a large part of M&A success comes with proper due diligence to identify the level of post-merger integration efforts needed. Furthermore, I believe it is difficult to evaluate the success of an M&A within the first 6 months. It is expected that the M&A will take some time post-merger to integrate or set up the structure of the new entity. Extensive effort is needed to integrate company culture, HR, and IT. These non-core items have large influence on the ability to realize the strategic value anticipated from an M&A deal. These activities naturally take time, a minimum of a year, and therefore the M&A cannot be anticipated to realize growth within the first 6 months. Therefore, an M&A could be considered a success by merely maintaining its pre-M&A value or reporting minimal losses during the early period of post-M&A integration.
