This case follows UV4253, which is designed to allow two integration teams, each representing one of two different companies, to construct a joint post-acquisition-integration plan. The confidential background about one of the companies is provided in this case for one of the teams. UV4254 provides confidential information about the other company.

This case is designed to allow two integration teams, each representing one of two very different companies, to construct a joint post-acquisition-integration plan: Titan Products, Inc., a large, publicly traded, North American multinational (approximately $3 billion in annual sales); and Franz Schuler GMBH, a smaller, family-owned and -operated European company (approximately $500 million in annual sales). Some of the issues addressed by this role-play case include (1) organization of Schuler, (2) staffing of management positions, (3) joint-distribution channels, (4) resolution of culture conflicts, (5) focus of strategic and operational decisions, and (6) performance metrics for assessing the success of the acquisition. The role-play requires about 60 minutes of team preparation, 30 minutes of negotiation, and a normal class session (85 minutes) to debrief. The instructions and assignment questions for the case are self-contained.

This case follows UV4253, which is designed to allow two integration teams, each representing one of two very different companies, to construct a joint post-acquisition-integration plan. Some of the issues addressed by UV4253 included (1) organization of Schuler, (2) staffing of management positions, (3) joint-distribution channels, (4) resolution of culture conflicts, (5) focus of strategic and operational decisions, and (6) performance metrics for assessing the success of the acquisition. The confidential background about one of the companies is provided in this case for one of the teams.