Continuous consolidation in the global auto industry: Key success factors in the merging process

摘要

Major trends in the auto industry such as globalisation, increased market requirements and pressure on prices have lead to a consolidation of companies. Not only OEMs and suppliers, but also retailers have to fulfil a wider spectrum ofcompetencies in the marketplace in order to survive in the future.Against this background most automotive companies look for partners to increase their competitiveness. Unfortunately the pathway towards cooperation is not always clear. Companies tend to focus on costs, finance and legal issues when selecting thepartner. Market, technology and people issues are often undervalued. As a result most mergers fail and most anticipated synergies cannot be realised.Understanding the drivers of cooperation and integration is critical for the success of the venture. Leveraging the unwritten rules of the game, synchronizing knowledge, behaviour and people as well as considering the "time value" of momentum are keysuccess factors in the cooperation/merging process.