CHAPTER 1 Context of the Problem Already Written (deleted to keep description < 5000 characters) Statement of the Problem The successful completion of a merges is a highly complex task. It is up to managers to implement the mergers and that requires a significant amount of technical planning and implementation. The key element that is often overlooked is the human resource aspect of a merger. Managers must lead their staff to ensure that the merger is successful. The lack of successful human resource planning and change management planning can lead to the eventual demise of a merger. Research Question / Hypothesis and Subquestions / Subhypotheses. The objective of this study is to identify the human resource challenges managers face during times of mergers and to provide a strategy of how to address these challenges to ensure a successful merger or acquisition. To support this hypothesis, the following sub-problems will be addressed: 1. What are the human resource challenges managers face during mergers? 2. Which organizations have successfully completed mergers and what change management methods were used? 3. What are the optimal change management techniques and strategies for managers to implement during mergers? The Significance of the Study As discussed earlier, mergers and acquisitions have increasingly become a wide spread strategy undertaken by companies to increase market share and to maintain a competitive advantage. This phenomenon has transcended all previous norms. In recent years we have witnessed mergers and acquisitions that have spanned industries as well as continents. Most recently Indian based Tata acquired British automobile manufacturer Jaguar. Prior to that, several U.S. based corporations were involved in “blockbuster” deals. Chrysler’s merger with Daimler, Time Warner’s acquisition of AOL, Sprint’s merger with Nextel are but a few examples. As current and future managers and leaders of industry and business several questions must come to our minds. Namely: 1. Why are certain mergers or acquisitions successful whilst others fail? 2. How do the executors of a merger or acquisition retain a valuable resource in which a great deal of time, effort, and money has been invested, the human resource? 3. What needs to be done to avoid the dreaded “brain drain”? Research Design and Methodology The research methodology applied in this study will be qualitative in nature… Organization of the Study This study is comprised of the following chapters: 1. Chapter 1: Introduction. 2. Chapter 2: Review of the Literature • Discussion of Human Resource Challenges during Mergers or Acquisitions • Review of Methods and Practices for Managing Human Resource during Mergers or Acquisitions • Comparison of Human Resource Management Practices in Successful versus Failed Mergers or Acquisitions 3. Chapter 3: Primary Research and Analysis 4. Chapter 4: Summary and Recommendations CHAPTER 1: Chapter 1 provides an introduction to the study. The chapter presents the problem being addressed and highlights the significance of the problem and the proposed study. In this chapter, the context of the problem is presented as well as the specific research questions and sub-questions the study aims to address. Additionally, this chapter will identify the significance of the study as well as the methods that will used to conduct the research to support the study. CHAPTER 2: Chapter 2 involves reviewing the selected secondary sources; the available literature. Careful thought and consideration will have given to the sources that will be used. The chapter will identify the human resource challenges that are experienced during the execution of a merger or acquisition. The chapter will also identify methods and techniques human resource managers employ during mergers or acquisitions to keep employees motivated and committed. Finally, Chapter 2 will present a comparison of practices that have been employed by managers in successful versus failed mergers or acquisitions. CHAPTER 3: Chapter 3 will present the research methods employed with regards to the primary sources that have been selected for the study. This chapter will involve the justification, analysis, and review of the qualitative research methods. The results of the primary research will be presented in this chapter. CHAPTER 4: Chapter 4 will present the summary and recommendations discovered through the completion of this study. The recommendations that will be presented can be used by managers and leaders of organizations to adequately address the challenge of successfully completing a merger or acquisition.