Research on the levels and the patterns of human resource integration in M&A intrapreneurship

Abstract

When firms start intrapreneurship by merger or acquisition, the level and pattern of human resource integration becomes a critical issue. However, extant literature has paid scant attentions to this issue. Drawing on the previous researches on M&A intrapreneurship, the present article collected primary data of the level and pattern of human resource integration in M&A intrapreneurship by means of in-depth interviews and used content analysis method to structurally analyze the data. The results showed that enterprises engaging in M&A intrapreneurship generally choose a high or intermediate level of HR integration. Specifically, enterprises at high level of HR integration tend to absorb employees from the acquired directly or recruit afresh employees, while enterprises at intermediate level of HR integration are inclined to adopt an agent-type of integration pattern.