The perceived cultural changes and the changes in identification of the employees during a merger between two airlines

This dissertation explores changes in perceived cultural differences and identification with the merged firm during the postmerger integration process. The information was gathered from an acquisition between two airlines. The research has been done over an extensive period of time thereby using the longitudinal approach. A number of propositions have been formulated with regard to the effect of an acquisition on perceived differences in organizational cultures. The assumption was that changes would occur over time and that different forms of integration would result in different changes in perception. The influence of national culture on the perception of organizational culture was also examined. Furthermore this dissertation examines the meaning and significance of the social identity of the employees of an organization during the acquisition. Using the results of the reasoning within the social identity theory this dissertation explores when the identification was more or less salient. Several hypotheses were formulated pertaining to the effects on identification with a merged firm of three types of responses from acquired-firm employees.