Whether the goal is to enter new geographic markets, acquire new technologies, increase scale or gain access to lower cost operations, mergers and acquisitions remain a viable strategy for many organizations. Although the strategy is a common one, it is also a risky one. When the discussion turns to what went wrong in a merger or acquisition process, more often than not, “culture incompatibility” is identified as a key culprit.

Having a sound culture integration and management plan will help an organization avoid, or more effectively manage, the ‘culture clash’ that often contributes to M&A failure. Denison Consulting has assisted in a number of mergers and acquisitions, including some of the largest corporate marriages of the past two decades. We have gained first hand experience and have identified a number of critical activities that aid in the success of the culture integration process both pre- and post-merger. Perhaps most importantly, we have learned that the Denison model and diagnostics offer a way to keep culture ‘front and center’ throughout the M&A planning and execution cycle. In our new Denison Solutions whitepaper series, we describe the role culture can play at each point in the M&A process. You can read more by downloading Mergers & Acquisitions: How Culture Can Make Or Break Your M&A Strategy.

In our recent two-part webinar series, hosted by Bryan Adkins, President of Denison Consulting, we explore the role of culture in each stage of the M&A cycle. In Part I of the series “How Culture Can Make or Break Your M&A Strategy”, Adkins explains the role of culture in each stage of the cycle from identifying targets to creating your culture integration plans to creating and sustaining ‘one’ organization. In Part II, “The Client Perspective”, Adkins is joined by Angie Mannino, current SVP of HR at Inova Health System and former Vice President of HR, Culture and Change, at Reynolds American. Reynolds American resulted from the merger of RJ Reynolds and Brown and Williamson Tobacco Co. and has been described as a “textbook M&A.” In this webinar, Mannino shares valuable insights and best practices gained during integration. You can view both of these webinars in our Library available in the Denison Events section of our website.

Join us for Part III in our M&A webinar series. We're pleased to be able to host acclaimed organizational psychologist Philip Mirvis, Ph.D. for "M&A Culture Clashes: Diagnosing and Dealing with Them," Wednesday, November 11, 11:00 am. Register Today!

When we think about Customer Satisfaction and the Denison model, it’s logical to think that Customer Focus has a high impact, but what other areas of the model relate? In this new Research Note from the Denison Research Department, we review three studies on customer satisfaction in client organizations: a Fortune 500 home builder, US automotive dealerships and a large government agency. These studies uncover some interesting discoveries about what areas of the model correlate most significantly with Customer Satisfaction. To read more, access “Customer Satisfaction: What Impact Does Your Culture Have?”(pdf file)

Economic globalization and the ever increasing need for multi-national organizations to conduct surveys across the organization has created a significant requirement for high quality translations and localized surveys. In partnership with colleagues from Bowling Green State University, Denison researcher, Dr. Lindsey Kotrba, has been investigating techniques used to ensure the quality of survey translations. In short, this research suggests the Denison Organizational Culture Survey is valid across multiple language translations as well as highlights the importance of conducting both statistical and subjective reviews of surveys that are translated into multiple languages. This research was featured at a biennial Symposium on Multicultural Psychology which took place October 11 & 12 at Michigan State University. The symposium was designed to identify best practices from conducting large scale multinational projects and featured a renowned group of researchers and presenters.

You may have noticed www.DenisonCulture.com has gotten a face lift! Denison recently unveiled a new website featuring beefed-up content, a new look and feel and easier navigation. An updated Solutions section makes it easier for new clients and consultants to understand how we can help! A reorganized Case Study and Research Note section allow visitors to review descriptions before downloading. An enhanced News and Events section provides you with timely information about upcoming workshops, webinars, conferences and other newsworthy items.

A major revamp of our Resources pages organized over 100 academic publications, business articles, white papers, and presentations. They can easily be searched by type (e.g. academic publication, case study, etc.) and topic (e.g. culture and performance, leadership development, methodology, etc.). We hope you will find these to be a valuable resource for your culture and leadership initiatives. In addition, updated information on our latest publications and conferences is available on our Research Spotlight page. New resources and updates continue to be added daily and our new platform allows many enhancements that are currently in the works. Check back often!

Denison announces a new eResource aimed at helping organizations turn their Denison Organization Culture Survey Results into action. Much like the “pocket guide” that came with your latest cell phone or laptop, etc., the online Getting Started with Your Denison Organizational Culture Results is designed to get you started and support you through the major milestones of the culture development process. It is designed to be modular. Each section can stand on its own so that you can access it at the point that makes the most sense for your organization or team. It is also designed to be scalable, meaning you can stay at a high level or you can take a deeper dive by referencing additional tools, resources and articles linked in the text. A robust Resources section with power point presentations, guides, and handouts is built in allowing you to access just the pieces you need. A printable version of the guide is also available. Please take a few minutes to review the Getting Started Guide and let us know your feedback!

Denison Consulting welcomes the addition of two new interns to the Denison family: Austin Jenkins and Nathalie Castano.

Austin is currently a senior at the University of Michigan. With academic interests in Organizational Studies and Marketing, he is working as a full-time intern in the Denison marketing and sales department. During this time, he has been responsible for a number of projects that primarily involve conducting background research and organizing data on perspective clients. Austin hopes his efforts will not only help to build Denison’s client portfolio, but also expand the Denison brand to untapped markets. He is confident that his experience at Denison will further reinforce his interest in marketing and enhance his understanding of organizational development.

Nathalie is interning in the Research and Development department. She is currently in her third year in the Industrial and Organizational Psychology doctoral program at Wayne State University. Her main research interests revolve around aspects of cross-cultural leadership and gender issues, which are a perfect match with her work at Denison. During her internship she will be involved in varied research projects, including conducting client research, helping prepare articles for publications, and updating the DOCS and DLDS normative databases.

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