Opposing positions in M&A research: culture, integration and performance

Abstract Purpose – "Culture" has become a critical factor for success in today's international business environment. In particular, mergers and acquisitions (M second, some studies mix different levels of analysis with respect to culture constructs, e.g. national vs organizational culture; and finally, there exist various definitions of "M&A success", which become manifest in a plethora of measurement techniques. Originality/value – The paper identifies and discusses potential reasons why the culture‐performance debate in M&A research has not yet provided a consistent conclusion. This article helps to better understand the current perception of culture in radical change processes within organizations. Promising future research directions are outlined, which should help to extend and specify current knowledge about culture as well as its impact on M&A success.